Abstract
This is a quantitative study of 493 undergraduate engineering majors’ intentions to persist in their engineering program. Using a multiple analysis of variance analysis, men and women had one common predictor for their intentions to persist, engineering career outcome expectations. However, the best sociocognitive predictor for men’s persistence was not the same for women. Men’s persistence in undergraduate engineering was predicted by their abilities to complete the required coursework. Women’s persistence in undergraduate engineering depended upon their beliefs in getting good grades (A or a B). In brief, women’s intentions to persist in undergraduate engineering were dependent upon higher academic standards compared to men.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bandura A (1986) Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Bandura A (1997) Self-efficacy: the exercise of control. Freeman, New York
Betz N, Hackett G (1981) The relationship of career-related self-efficacy expectations to perceived career options in college women and men. J Couns Psychol 28(5):399–410
Betz N, Hackett G (1983) The relationship of mathematics self-efficacy expectations to the selection of science-based college majors. J Vocat Behav 23:329–345
Bradburn EM (1995) Engineering gender roles: a self-efficacy model of occupational choice and persistence. Cornell U, US, p 1
Brainard S, Carlin L (1998) A six-year longitudinal study of undergraduate women in engineering and science. J Eng Educ 87:369–375
Britner SL, Pajares F (2006) Sources of science self-efficacy beliefs of middle school students. J Res Sci Teach 43:485–499
Concannon JP (2008) A proposed social-cognitive model and ideas for practice. A paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for science teacher education, St. Louis
Concannon JP, Barrow LH (2008) A cross-sectional study of engineering self-efficacy. In Proceedings of the 2008 annual meeting of the American society of engineering education and exposition, Pittsburg, ASEE, 24 June 2008 (AC 2008-148)
Concannon JP, Barrow LH (2009) A cross-sectional study of engineering students’ self-efficacy by gender, ethnicity, year, and transfer status. J Sci Educ Technol 18(2):163–172
Cutrona CE, Russell DW (1987) The provisions of social relationships and adaptation to stress. Adv Pers Relatsh 1:37–67
Hackett G, Betz NE (1989) An exploration of the mathematics self-efficacy/mathematics performance correspondence. J Res Math Educ 20:261–273
Hackett G, Betz NE, Casas J, Rocha-Singh IA (1992) Gender, ethnicity, and social cognitive factors predicting the academic achievement of students in engineering. J Couns Psychol 39:527–538
Hampton NZ (1998) Sources of academic self-efficacy scale: an assessment tool for rehabilitation counselors. Rehabil Couns Bull 41:260–277
Johnson A (2007) Unintended consequences: how science professors discourage women of color. Sci Educ 91:805–821
Lent RW, Hackett N (1987) Career self-efficacy: empirical status and future directions. J Vocat Behav 34:279–288
Lent R, Brown S, Larkin K (1984) Relation of self-efficacy expectations to academic achievement and persistence. J Couns Psychol 31(3):356–362
Lent R, Brown SD, Larkin K (1986) Self-efficacy in the prediction of academic performance and perceived career options. J Couns Psychol 33(3):265–269
Lent R, Brown S, Larkin K (1987) Comparison of three theoretically derived variables in predicting career and academic behavior: self-efficacy, interest congruence, and consequence thinking. J Couns Psychol 34(3):293–298
Lent RW, Lopez FG, Bieschke DJ (1991) Mathematics self-efficacy: sources and relation to science-based career choice. J Couns Psychol 38:424–430
Lent RW, Brown SD, Gover MR, Nijjer SK (1996) Cognitive assessment of the sources of mathematics self-efficacy: a thought-listing analysis. J Career Assess 4:33–46
Lent RW, Sheu H, Schmidt J, Brenner B, Brown S, Gloster C, Schmidt L, Lyons H, Treistman D (2005) Social cognitive predictors of academic interests and goals in engineering: utility for women and students at historically black universities. J Couns Psychol 52:84–92
Lent RW, Singley D, Sheu H, Schmidt J, Schmidt L (2007) Relation of social-cognitive factors to academic satisfaction in engineering students. J Career Assess 15:87–97
Lopez FG, Lent RW (1992) Sources of mathematics self-efficacy in high school students. Career Dev Q 41:3–12
Marra R, Bogue B (2006) Women engineering students self efficacy: a longitudinal multi-institution study. In: Proceedings of the 2006 women in engineering programs and advocates network conference, Pittsburgh
Matsui T, Matsui D, Ohnishi R (1990) Mechanisms underlying math self-efficacy learning of college students. J Vocat Behav 37:225–238
Mau WC (2003) Factors that influence persistence in science and engineering career aspirations. Career Dev Q 51:234–243
Moneta GB, Marcantonio M, Felicitas M (2007) Approaches to studying for final exams as a function of coping strategies. Personality Individ Differ 43:191–202
Moos RH, Trickett E (1987) Classroom environmental scale manual, 2nd edn. Consulting Psychologist Press, Palo Alto
National Science Foundation (1984) Women and minorities in science and engineering. National Science Foundation, Arlington
National Science Foundation (1990) Women and minorities in science and engineering. National Science Foundation, Arlington (NSF Publication No. 90–301)
National Science Foundation (2005) Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering. National Science Foundation, Arlington
National Science Foundation (2006) Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering. National Science Foundation, Arlington
National Science Foundation (2007) Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics talent expansion program (STEP). National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA (NSF Publication No. 07-570)
O’Brien KM, Friedman SM, Tipton LC, Linn SG (2000) Attachment, separation, and women’s vocational development: a longitudinal analysis. J Couns Psychol 47:301–315
Pajares F, Miller MD, Johnson MJ (1999) Gender differences in writing self-beliefs of elementary school students. J Educ Psychol 91:50–61
Pajares F, Britner SL, Valiante G (2000) Relation between achievement goals and self-beliefs of middle school students in writing and science. Contemp Educ Psychol 25:406–422
Schaefers KG, Epperson DL, Mauta MM (1997) Women’s career development: can theoretical derived variables predict persistence in engineering majors? J Couns Psychol 44:173–183
Scott A, Ciani K (2008) Effects of an undergraduate career class on men’s and women’s career decision-making self-efficacy and vocational identity. J Career Dev 34:263–285
Seymour E, Hewitt N (1997) Talking about leaving: why undergraduates leave the sciences. Westview Press, Boulder
Shepardson DP, Pizzini E (1992) Elementary teachers’ perceptions of the scientific ability of students. Sci Educ 76:147–153
Sloan ME (1975) Women engineers in the United States. Educ Horiz 53:102–105
Vogt C (2003) An account of women’s progress in engineering: a social cognitive perspective. J Women Minor Sci Eng 9:217–238
Vogt CM (2007) A social cognitive construct validation: determining women’s and men’s success in engineering programs. J Higher Educ 78:338–364
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendices
Appendix A
See Table 6.
Appendix B: Instrument
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Concannon, J.P., Barrow, L.H. Men’s and Women’s Intentions to Persist in Undergraduate Engineering Degree Programs. J Sci Educ Technol 19, 133–145 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-009-9187-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-009-9187-x