Talking About Science Interests: The Importance of Feedback Appraisals When Students Talk About Their Interests in STEM

摘要

Although interest development is often conceptualized as an intra-individual process, interest can be developed through various social mechanisms. In examining undergraduate science students, I found that more frequent talking with close others about interest was related to having a greater interest in a future in science. However, the way students perceive others reactions to their interest (feedback appraisals) during conversations can have differing impacts on some students. I found that social recognition feedback appraisals, or appraisals that a listener understands and encourages a students' interest in science, predicted interest in a future in science for women, but not men. Social recognition feedback appraisals also predicted interest in a future in science for students with relatively low or average science identities, but not for students with relatively high science identities. This study highlights the impact of conversations on students' interest development and has implications for broadening participation in science.