Social Cognitive Predictors of Interest in Research Among Life Sciences Academics

3rd International Conference on Tropical and Coastal Region Eco Development 2017

地球科学;生态环境科学

Sawitri, Dian R.^1 ; Nurtjahjanti, Harlina^1 ; Prasetyo, Anggun R.^1

Faculty of Psychology, Diponegoro University, Jalan Prof Sudarto, S.H, Tembalang, Semarang

50275, Indonesia^1

关键词: Higher education;    Higher education institutions;    Life-sciences;    Research interests;    Research outcome;    Self-efficacy beliefs;    Social cognitive career theory;    Structural equation modelling;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/116/1/012001/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1755-1315/116/1/012001

学科分类：环境科学（综合）

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Research interest is the degree to which an individual is interested in conducting research-related activities. Nowadays, Indonesian higher education academics are expected to be research productive, especially those in life sciences. However, what predicts interest in research among life sciences academics is rarely known. We surveyed 240 life sciences academics (64.6% female, mean age = 31.91 years) from several higher degree institutions in Indonesia, using interest in research, research self-efficacy, and research outcome expectations questionnaires. We used social cognitive career theory which proposes that individual's interests are the results of the interaction between one's self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations overtime. Structural equation modelling demonstrated that research self-efficacy was directly and indirectly associated with interest in research via research outcome expectations. Understanding the social cognitive predictors of interest in research contributes to an understanding of the associations between research self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest in research. Recommendations for life sciences academics, faculties, and higher education institutions are discussed.