The Motivational Benefits of Observing and Serving as a Role Model for Minoritized College Students

• In Event: Bridging Equity Gaps in STEM: Insights from the Upcoming Handbook on Gender and STEM

Abstract

Objectives
In this presentation, we review the dual impact of role modeling in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by focusing on both exposure to role models and the experiences of those serving as role models. We situate these dynamics within broader sociocultural and institutional contexts, emphasizing how representation and support structures shape not only the motivational benefits of role modeling (e.g., self-efficacy), but also its emotional burdens, including pressure to perform. To capture these dynamics, we introduce the Role Model–Aspirant Reciprocity Model (RMARM), a theoretical framework that highlights the motivational benefits of both observing and serving as a role model (see Figure 4.1).

Key Findings
We begin by reviewing research demonstrating that exposure to role models can increase students’ competence beliefs, subjective task values, sense of belonging, and ultimately, persistence in STEM pathways (González-Pérez et al., 2020; Hermann et al., 2016). These effects are especially pronounced when role models are viewed as authentic, relatable, and successful (Gladstone & Cimpian, 2021). However, exposure to stereotypical or “exceptional” role models can have counterproductive effects, particularly when students feel they cannot emulate the role model’s success (Cheryan et al., 2011; Ehrlinger et al., 2018). Thus, the effectiveness of role model interventions depends on the attainability and contextual fit of the role model within the student’s environment.
We then turn to the experiences of role models themselves, often undergraduate or graduate students serving as peer mentors. These individuals report increased competence beliefs, stronger subjective task values, a greater sense of belonging, and a clearer sense of purpose and persistence in their academic and career pathways (Rockinson-Szapkiw et al., 2021; Wendt & Jones, 2024). However, serving as a role model can also lead individuals to internalize dominant norms of success in STEM without challenging the structural barriers that maintain inequality (Verniers et al., 2024). Moreover, students from minoritized groups may experience heightened pressure to “perform” competence in public-facing roles while managing stereotype threat, imposter feelings, and institutional exclusion (Shapiro & Williams, 2012). Thus, serving as a role model can be both empowering and taxing, underscoring the need for structural support for those placed in these positions.

Implications and Scholarly Significance
We conclude by calling for future research and practice to attend to the complexity of role model dynamics. Role model interventions should not only focus on increasing representation or inspiring aspirants but also prioritize the holistic support and well-being of those serving in these roles. Recognizing both the promise and potential costs of role modeling is essential for designing interventions that foster persistence and equity. This presentation contributes to Division C’s focus on learning and instruction by showing how social learning experiences, such as observing or serving as a role model, shape motivational beliefs and persistence in STEM. In line with this year’s AERA theme, this work interrogates how historical underrepresentation continues to shape the lived experiences of minoritized students and reimagines role model interventions that are reciprocal, sustainable, and justice-oriented, offering a new vision for role modeling that advances individual development and educational equity.

Authors

• Kevin Francisco Ramirez, University of California - Berkeley

• Hye Rin Lee, University of Georgia

• Xiao-Yin Chen, University of Tennessee