Children lose confidence in their potential to "be scientists," but not in their capacity to "do science".

ABSTRACT: Over the course of middle childhood, children's interest and beliefs about their own capacities for success in science often decline. This pernicious decline is especially evident among underrepresented groups, including girls, members of some racial and ethnic minorities, and children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The present research (N = 306, ages 6-11) found that while children lose interest and feelings of efficacy about their potential to "be scientists" across middle childhood, they maintain more robust interest and efficacy about "doing science." These patterns were confirmed in both longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses; effects were stable or increased across time and age. Mediation analyses revealed that the positive effect of action framing is partially accounted fo

SUBMITTER: Lei RF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6803025 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature