Thoman Dustin B, Muragishi Gregg A, Smith Jessi L
1 Department of Psychology, San Diego State University.
2 Department of Psychology, Stanford University.
Psychol Sci. 2017 Jun;28(6):760-773. doi: 10.1177/0956797617694865. Epub 2017 May 1.
How much does scientific research potentially help people? We tested whether prosocial-affordance beliefs (PABs) about science spread among group members and contribute to individual students' motivation for science. We tested this question within the context of research experience for undergraduates working in faculty-led laboratories, focusing on students who belong to underrepresented minority (URM) groups. Longitudinal survey data were collected from 522 research assistants in 41 labs at six institutions. We used multilevel modeling, and results supported a socialization effect for URM students: The aggregate PABs of their lab mates predicted the students' own initial PABs, as well as their subsequent experiences of interest and their motivation to pursue a career in science, even after controlling for individual-level PABs. Results demonstrate that research labs serve as microcultures of information about the science norms and values that influence motivation. URM students are particularly sensitive to this information. Efforts to broaden participation should be informed by an understanding of the group processes that convey such prosocial values.
科学研究对人们有多大潜在帮助？我们测试了关于科学的亲社会功能信念（PABs）是否在小组成员中传播，并对个体学生的科学动机产生影响。我们在本科生参与教师主导实验室的研究经历背景下测试了这个问题，重点关注那些来自代表性不足的少数群体（URM）的学生。我们从六所机构41个实验室的522名研究助理那里收集了纵向调查数据。我们使用了多层次建模，结果支持了URM学生的一种社会化效应：即使在控制了个体层面的PABs之后，他们实验室伙伴的总体PABs仍能预测学生自己最初的PABs，以及他们随后的兴趣体验和追求科学事业的动机。结果表明，研究实验室充当了影响动机的科学规范和价值观信息的微观文化。URM学生对这些信息尤为敏感。扩大参与度的努力应该基于对传达此类亲社会价值观的群体过程的理解。
