Modeling the relation between students’ implicit beliefs about their abilities and their educational STEM choices

Abstract

Despite the large body of research on students' educational and career choices in the field of technology, design, and science, we still lack a clear understanding of how to stimulate more students to opt for a study path or career within the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). In this article, we outline a new theoretical framework to describe how students' implicit belief about the malleability of their intelligence can be an important precursor of their STEM educational and career choice behavior. Based on the different bodies of literature about STEM choices and about students' implicit beliefs about their abilities, we present three hypothetical pathways, in the form of testable models, that describe potential relations between the implicit theories that students may hold regarding the malleability of their STEM ability and students' intentions to pursue a STEM career. Each pathway outlines a specific mediating factor influencing this relation: (a) self-efficacy beliefs, (b) stereotypical thinking, and (c) motivational beliefs. These pathways provide more insight into the underlying mechanisms that may affect STEM choice behavior. In our view, such a theoretical underpinning is a necessary prerequisite for further scientific investigation into the potential relations between students' implicit beliefs about their potential development, relevant psychological variables, and STEM choice behavior. Furthermore, we believe it provides a theoretical foundation for practical interventions that aim to stimulate STEM choice behavior.

Implicit STEM ability beliefs predict secondary school students' STEM self‐efficacy beliefs and their intention to opt for a STEM field career

“…This study provides the first empirical support for the idea that implicit beliefs about STEM ability predict students' intention to opt for a STEM bachelor's degree. Our findings furthermore support the hypothesized assumption that self‐efficacy beliefs mediate the relation between implicit beliefs and STEM intention (van Aalderen‐Smeets & Walma van der Molen, ). Consistent with previous research, we found that the more students endorsed incremental beliefs about their STEM ability, the more positive STEM self‐efficacy beliefs they reported (Robins & Pals, ).…”

“…The either direct or indirect contribution of implicit ability beliefs to the intention to opt for a STEM‐oriented education or career (called STEM intention) has been suggested by other studies as well (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, ; Burkley, Parker, Stermer, & Burkley, ; Dweck, , ; Murphy & Thomas, ; Nix, Perez‐Felkner, & Thomas, ; van Aalderen‐Smeets & Walma van der Molen, ; Wang & Degol, ). In addition, there is a range of research that has indicated the importance of students' achievement goal orientations, both in general education and in mathematics education (e.g., Fadlelmula, ; Midgley, ).…”

“…There is theoretically no reason to assume a direct relation between implicit STEM ability beliefs and STEM intention; a student's belief that STEM aptitude is malleable, does not necessarily predict that this student will choose a STEM degree. It is more likely that there are additional variables—besides STEM self‐efficacy—which mediate the relation between implicit STEM ability beliefs and STEM intention, such as stereotypical beliefs and motivational factors (e.g., achievement goals), as suggested by van Aalderen‐Smeets and Walma van der Molen (). Future research could test more elaborate STEM intention models, including additional variables such as gender‐stereotypical beliefs and goal achievement.…”

“…Watt, Eccles, and Durik () argue that adequate achievement can be viewed as a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for making an educational and career choice and that it is important to take achievement measures into account as a control measure. Students' achievement on the STEM oriented school subjects in high school could explain a potential positive relation between self‐efficacy and STEM intention (Rask, ; van Aalderen‐Smeets & Walma van der Molen, ; Wang, ). High self‐efficacy beliefs have been shown to correlate with higher school grades in general and STEM‐related areas in particular, which in turn may influence STEM educational and career choices (e.g., Glynn et al, ; Watt et al, ; Wigfield & Eccles, ).…”

“…However, so far, there has been no empirical evidence to support the claim that implicit ability beliefs may predict STEM oriented study paths. A theoretical study by van Aalderen‐Smeets and Walma van der Molen () hypothesized that the association between implicit ability beliefs and STEM intention is mediated by several factors, one of which is self‐efficacy. The authors proposed that students who hold entity beliefs (who believe that their abilities are not malleable) are at risk for decreases in self‐efficacy beliefs (Erdley, Cain, Loomis, Dumas‐Hines, & Dweck, ; Henderson & Dweck, ; Hong, Chiu, Dweck, Lin, & Wan, ; Niiya, Crocker, & Bartmess, ; Robins & Pals, ).…”