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Leaving the Pond-Choosing an Ocean: Effects of Student Composition on STEM Major Choices at University
Ist Teil von
Journal of educational psychology, 2020-05, Vol.112 (4), p.751-764
Ort / Verlag
Washington: American Psychological Association
Erscheinungsjahr
2020
Link zum Volltext
Quelle
EBSCOhost APA PsycARTICLES
Beschreibungen/Notizen
Self-concept in mathematics (MSC) and interest in mathematics are important predictors of whether a student will choose to major in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field at university. Research on the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) has shown that both predictors are affected by the achievement composition of students in schools. That is, given the same individual ability, students in higher achieving schools exhibit lower MSC and interest in mathematics than students in lower achieving schools due to social comparison processes. The BFLPE has been replicated in high school settings many times, but less is known about the long-term effects of this context effect. In the present study, we investigated the long-term effects of the BFLPE on the aspiration to major in and the actual decision to major in a STEM field at university. We used data from a German longitudinal study. The results showed no direct BFLPE on the aspiration to enroll in a STEM major at the end of high school or on actual enrollment in a STEM major 2 years after graduating from high school. However, small negative indirect effects of the BFLPE via MSC and interest in mathematics on the aspiration to and enrollment in a STEM major occurred. In sum, the longitudinal BFLPE on STEM major choice was small.
Educational Impact and Implications Statement
In the present study, we used a German longitudinal dataset to investigate the long-term effects of schools' achievement-related student composition (big-fish-little-pond effect) on (a) the aspiration to major in and (b) the actual decision to major in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field at university. Given the same individual achievement level, students in higher performing schools exhibited a lower self-concept and interest in mathematics (which then affected subsequent major choice). Social comparison processes can explain these results, as students evaluate their ability level by comparing themselves to their peers. The long-term effect of these social comparisons on enrollment in a STEM major at university was statistically significant but small. Furthermore, the results indicated that students compare their own individual achievement in the verbal and mathematics domains (dimensional comparisons) when choosing whether to major in a STEM field than compare themselves socially with their peers. Considering our results, educators should be aware of and potentially discuss such comparison processes when counseling students who are preparing to select their major at university.