What differentiates the individuals from under-represented backgrounds who persist in STEM-related educational pathways in college from those who opt out? The proposed research examines whether identity development is key to understanding these educational and developmental trajectories. Although research has shown that the establishment of a clear and positive identity during emerging adulthood is associated with a variety of optimal outcomes, many questions remain regarding how identity is formed, particularly with regard to developing a positive science identity and a sense of belonging with one's STEM field. The overarching goal of the current project is to better understand how identity forms during college by applying a narrative approach, in which identity is understood as developing through a subjective process of integrating life experiences into a personal and self-defining story. Specifically, the unique vantage point of narratives will be used to better understand why some students -- especially women, underrepresented minorities, and those with disadvantaged backgrounds -- disengage from pursuing STEM-related careers while others persist. By combining objective markers (e.g., gender, ethnicity, SES, educational background) with coded narratives that emerge in response to relevant experiences (e.g., in the science classroom), this study may contribute to solutions for the persistent lack of diversity in the sciences. More broadly, by examining how students engage in meaning-making about the critical transitions (e.g., leaving home, choosing a major) and contextualized experiences (e.g., academic, social, romantic) that are central to college life, the proposed research will identify the identity pathways that contribute to increases over time in other important outcomes, including maturity, happiness, and clarity of career goals.
The Identity Pathways Project is a five-year, two-campus longitudinal study that utilizes a quantitative narrative approach. The longitudinal design involves three surveys annually for four years and a final survey one year after graduation. The surveys will include repeated assessments of both narratives (transition to college, academic and relational high and low points, experiences related to major choice and future career) and standard scales of the outcomes of interest. With this design, the proposed research will be able to test the extent to which identity processes operate as mechanisms of developmental change, and more specifically, whether narratives reflecting a positive science identity are a key factor in persistence along a STEM-related career path. The two-campus design, which includes a private liberal arts college and a state university, increases the demographic diversity and allows for a more inclusive examination of identity development, especially as it pertains to career identity and STEM participation. The narrative approach to career identity has important implications for designing career counseling programs, especially those promoting STEM-related career paths among women and minorities.
