Influence of role models and mentors on female graduate students' choice of science as a career

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the source, nature, and degree of influence of role models and mentors on female graduate students' choice of science as a career. Also examined was the existence of gender or area-of-study (engineering, biological science, physical sciences) differences. Results of a factor analysis of the Influence of Others on Academic and Career Decisions Scale (IOACDS, Nauta & Kokaly, 2001) demonstrated that role models and mentors influenced students in distinct ways. Significant gender, area-of-study, and undergraduate country differences were found.