Occupational Interests and Self-Efficacy: How to Best Predict Lower Socioeconomic-Status Youths’ STEM College Major Selection

• In Event: Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: Expanding the Field of Diversity Research in Psychology and Education

Abstract

This project studies how vocational interest, self-efficacy, and demographic characteristics affect high school juniors and seniors select college majors in the STEM fields, with emphasis on gender and ethnicity differences. Structural equation modeling analysis examines hypotheses regarding gender- and ethnicity-specific influences of vocational interest and self-efficacy. This study uses Kuder’s large-scale archival data, which include the Kuder Skills Assessment (KSA) on STEM-vocation self-efficacy and the Kuder Career Search with Person Match (KCS) on STEM-vocation interest, and demographic measures. This study helps to improve our understanding of lower-SES students’ academic transition and vocational development in STEM fields.

Authors

• Qiu Wang, Syracuse University

• Matthew Diemer, Michigan State University