How Does Faculty Members' Self-Efficacy for Research Affect Their Productivity? Evidence From a Social Media Study

• In Event: Research on Faculty Teaching, Evaluation, and Development

Abstract

Research productivity is a complex indicator of faculty success influenced by many factors. Faculty self-efficacy is associated with productivity, task-based performance, and persistence in completing tasks; however, little research has compared the predictive validity of self-efficacy to other motivation constructs, which was the current study objective. A social media sample of 384 faculty from across USA and Canada completed an online survey. Self-efficacy for research, autonomy, competence, relatedness, and intrinsic motivation had moderate correlations with perceived success. Group difference tests revealed self-efficacy for research levels were higher among male, associate professor, and tenured faculty. Moreover, regressions showed self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation significantly predicted faculty research success. Findings imply faculty training aimed at raising self-efficacy to boost research productivity.

Authors

• Muhammad Salahuddin, University of North Dakota
  Presenting Author

• Robert H. Stupnisky, University of North Dakota
  Presenting Author

• Nathan C. Hall, McGill University
  Non-Presenting Author