Zhou Yuhong, Liu Yi, Xue Wenhao, Li Xinyao, Yang Zhe, Xu Zhihua
School of Tourism and Geography Science, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
School of Economics, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Front Psychol. 2024 Jan 12;15:1284277. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1284277. eCollection 2024.
In recent years, the pursuit of a master's degree has become a social phenomenon of wide concern. It is essential to understand why large number of students choose to pursue master's degree. This study aims to empirically analyze the factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree.
Based on the extended theory of planned behavior, this study conducts a questionnaire survey of university students in Shandong Province, which has had the highest number of people taking the postgraduate entrance examination in China for several years. A total of 440 questionnaires were finally collected, including 417 valid questionnaires. And then ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to analyze the factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree.
In general, the intent to pursue a master's degree is positively influenced by attitude (β = 0.161, < 0.01) and subjective norms (β = 0.208, < 0.01), and negatively influenced by risk perception (β = -0.084, < 0.05). Compared with male students, female students' intent is more likely to be influenced by risk perception (β = -0.144, < 0.05) and social factors (β = 0.140, < 0.05). The intent of upperclass students tends to be positively influenced by perceived behavioral control (β = 0.125, < 0.05), whereas the negative impact of risk perception (β = -0.219, < 0.05) on the intent is significant for underclass students. The intent of students in rural areas are more sensitive to risk perception (β = -0.194, < 0.01) than those of students in cities. In private universities, social factors (β = 0.445, < 0.05) significantly affect the intent to pursue a master's degree. In ordinary public universities, the intent of students is more likely to be influenced by risk perception (β = -0.082, < 0.05).
The study is helpful to strengthen the understanding of the influencing factors of the intent to pursue a master's degree. In general, the intent to pursue a master's degree is mainly influenced by attitude, subjective norms and risk perception. Moreover, the influencing factors vary among different groups (e.g., female vs. male, rural areas vs. cities). Furthermore, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, risk perception, and social factors have greater impacts on the intent of students from low-income households than those from high-income households. This study can provide policy implications for universities to take targeted educational measures to encourage students to make a choice that suits their own development after graduation.
近年来，攻读硕士学位已成为一个备受社会广泛关注的现象。了解大量学生选择攻读硕士学位的原因至关重要。本研究旨在实证分析影响攻读硕士学位意愿的因素。
基于计划行为扩展理论，本研究对山东省的大学生进行了问卷调查，山东省连续数年考研人数位居全国之首。最终共收集到440份问卷，其中有效问卷417份。然后运用普通最小二乘法（OLS）回归分析影响攻读硕士学位意愿的因素。
总体而言，攻读硕士学位的意愿受到态度（β = 0.161，p < 0.01）和主观规范（β = 0.208，p < 0.01）的正向影响，而受到风险感知（β = -0.084，p < 0.05）的负向影响。与男学生相比，女学生的意愿更易受到风险感知（β = -0.144，p < 0.05）和社会因素（β = 0.140，p < 0.05）的影响。高年级学生的意愿往往受到感知行为控制的正向影响（β = 0.125，p < 0.05），而风险感知对低年级学生意愿的负面影响（β = -0.219，p < 0.05）显著。农村地区学生的意愿比城市学生对风险感知更为敏感（β = -0.194，p < 0.01）。在民办大学，社会因素（β = 0.445，p < 0.05）对攻读硕士学位的意愿有显著影响。在普通公办大学，学生的意愿更易受到风险感知的影响（β = -0.082，p < 0.05）。
本研究有助于加强对攻读硕士学位意愿影响因素的理解。总体而言，攻读硕士学位的意愿主要受态度、主观规范和风险感知的影响。此外，不同群体（如女性与男性、农村地区与城市）的影响因素有所不同。而且，态度、主观规范、感知行为控制、风险感知和社会因素对低收入家庭学生意愿的影响比对高收入家庭学生的影响更大。本研究可为高校采取有针对性的教育措施提供政策启示，以鼓励学生毕业后做出适合自身发展的选择。
