Frustrated but Enjoying It: Pretenure Faculty Members' Emotions for Teaching and Research

• In Event: Supporting Faculty Across Career Span and Discipline

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine in-depth the emotions of pretenure faculty members, their potential antecedents, and relations to success in the domains of teaching and research. Interviews with 11 faculty members yielded 264 statements containing emotions (39 distinct), which were used to create an online survey instrument. A survey of 102 faculty members revealed significantly more enjoyment, happiness, pride, satisfaction, relaxation, control, and perceived success in teaching; alternatively, more frustration, anxiety, worry, fear, envy, shame, loneliness, and hopelessness in research. Emotions significantly correlated with control, value, perceived success, collegiality, professional balance, and work-life balance. The results contribute to the emotion and faculty success research literatures, and have potential implications for faculty development and retention.

Authors

• Robert H. Stupnisky, University of North Dakota

• Nathan C. Hall, McGill University

• Reinhard Pekrun, University of Munich