A STUDY OF DOCTORAL STUDENTS COMPARED BY GENDER AND TYPE OF FIELD OF STUDY ON FACTORS OF ROLE CONGRUENCE, PERCEIVED SUPPORT FROM FACULTY, AND PERCEIVED SUPPORT FROM PEERS
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of female doctoral students in traditional, androgynous, and non-traditional fields of study with those of their male counterparts regarding role congruence, support from their faculty members, and support from their peers. The relationship between gender or type of field of study or both and the three factors also was studied. In April of 1982, 692 copies of a survey developed by the researcher were mailed to female doctoral students enrolled in 27 fields of study at Purdue University and to a stratified weighted sampling of male doctoral students enrolled in the same fields of study. The fields of study were designated as traditional, androgynous, and non-traditional. The return of 538 surveys yielded a response rate of 77.7 per cent. Analyses of the data revealed no interaction between gender and type of field of study regarding role congruence, perceived faculty support, and perceived peer support. However, the results did suggest two gender effects and two field of study effects. The gender effects indicated that regardless of field of study, males report more role congruence and perceive more support from their faculty members than do females. The field of study effects indicated that regardless of gender, students in traditional fields of study perceive the most faculty support while students in androgynous fields perceive the least, and that students in non-traditional fields of study perceive the most peer support while students in traditional fields perceive the least. Hypotheses about these results and recommendations for further research are included.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Higher education
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