The Influence of Ability Beliefs and Motivational Orientation on the Self-Efficacy of High School Science Students in Thailand

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of entity beliefs, gender stereotypes and motivational goals on participants' self-efficacy in biology and physics and their career aspirations. Participants ( n = 2638, males 46% and females 54%) were students enrolled in Years 10–12 of the academic science-maths stream in Thailand. Entity beliefs were endorsed significantly more by males than by females, while gender stereotypes were endorsed significantly more by females than by males. Entity beliefs were found to be significantly and positively associated with performance avoidance goals towards science. Multiple regression analysis found a negative influence of performance avoidance goals and a positive influence of mastery goals on males' and females' self-efficacy in physics and biology and their career aspirations. The stereotype ‘males are better in physics’ had a positive influence on the measure of self-efficacy of males in physics studies and a negative influence on the self-efficacy of females. The stereotype ‘females are better in biology’ had no influence on the measure of self-efficacy in biology studies for either males or females. Our results support a view of subject-specific inquiry as more revealing than global inquiry for the investigation of gender differences in achievement-related beliefs.

An account of EFL learners’ self-efficacy and gender in the Flipped Classroom Model

“…Some studies found that male students had higher self-efficacy than female students in science education. This is attributable to common gender stereotypes related to science education (Lerdpornkulrat et al 2012;Sağlam and Toğrul 2018;Stoet and Geary 2018). The key reasons for this gender disparity in science education are said to be rooted in the different social roles of boys and girls in society, as well as persistant negative stereotypes for females (Steele 1997;Tindall and Hamil 2004) in science.…”

Work and Family Identities and Engineering Identity

“…Theories of gender role socialization posit that traditionally gendered social roles influence the recruitment to and retention of men and women in different careers and professions (e.g., Cech, ; Correll, ; Hartman & Hartman, ; Settles, ), and research has found that personal beliefs and attitudes about work and family have important relationships with professional identity (e.g., Amelink & Creamer, ; Cech, Rubineau, Silbey, & Seron, ; Coyle, Van Leer, Schroeder, & Fulcher, ; Hawks & Spade, ; Jackson, Gardner, & Sullivan, ). Specific to the STEM fields, “engineering has always occupied a central position in the debate about recruitment and retention practices, especially for women” (Dutta, , p. 326) because substantially fewer women than men enroll in engineering programs (Cech, ; Lerdpornkulrat, Koul, & Sujivorakul, ). Based on their study investigating student attitudes and academic identities as predictors in the choice of an engineering career, Godwin, Potvin, Hazari, and Lock () conclude that “broadening participation in engineering requires paying close attention to the type of person who we ask students to become and studying how students embrace or avoid these promoted identities” (p. 313).…”

“…programs (Cech, 2015;Lerdpornkulrat, Koul, & Sujivorakul, 2012). Based on their study investigating student attitudes and academic identities as predictors in the choice of an engineering career, Godwin, Potvin, Hazari, and Lock (2016) conclude that "broadening participation in engineering requires paying close attention to the type of person who we ask students to become and studying how students embrace or avoid these promoted identities" (p. 313).…”

Gender compatibility, math-gender stereotypes, and self-concepts in math and physics

“…Equal participation of males and females in study and selection of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is considered a critical goal for science education reform efforts worldwide [1][2][3]. Yet, the potential to achieve this goal remains influenced by differential views of ability and opportunity structures based on sex [4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

“…In the year 2013, the top eleven Thai universities reported that the proportion of females enrolled in undergraduate degree programs in biology, chemistry, math, physics, and computer sciences were 76.47%, 73.97%, 63.38%, 52.87%, and 45.81%, respectively [12]. Yet, Thai females are less than half as likely as Thai males to be employed in science and technology jobs and continue to be underrepresented in high earning careers in STEM fields [3,13].…”