title: Science That Matters: The Importance of a Cultural Connection in Underrepresented Students' Science Pursuit.
abstract: Recent research suggests that underrepresented minority (URM) college students, and especially first-generation URMs, may lose motivation to persist if they see science careers as unable to fulfill culturally relevant career goals. In the present study, we used a mixed-methods approach to explore patterns of motivation to pursue physical and life sciences across ethnic groups of freshman college students, as moderated by generational status. Results from a longitudinal survey (N = 249) demonstrated that freshman URM students who enter with a greater belief that science can be used to help their communities identified as scientists more strongly over time, but only among first-generation college students. Analysis of the survey data were consistent with content analysis of 11 transcripts from simultaneously conducted focus groups (N = 67); together, these studies reveal important differences in motivational characteristics both across and within ethnicity across educational generation status. First-generation URM students held the strongest prosocial values for pursuing a science major (e.g., giving back to the community). URM students broadly reported additional motivation to increase the status of their family (e.g., fulfilling aspirations for a better life). These findings demonstrate the importance of culturally connected career motives and for examining intersectional identities to understand science education choices and inform efforts to broaden participation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840 Matthew.jackson@csulb.edu.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840.
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galvez
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840.
authors.forename: Isidro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Landa
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buonora
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182.
authors.forename: Dustin B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Thoman
mesh_terms: D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005190:Family; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000193:education*; D012586:Science / Q000193:education*; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires