Sex of faculty role model and students' self-perceptions of competency

Abstract

This study investigated sex of faculty role model and students' professional development. Subjects were 80 female and 77 male graduate students enrolled in the same academic department who responded anonymously to a questionnaire assessing self-evaluations of competency, stress, and satisfaction in regard to the student and intended professional roles. Female graduate students who identified female professors as role models viewed themselves as more career oriented, confident, and instrumental than did female students who identified male role models. However, female students with female role models did not differ in these self-descriptions from male students identifying male faculty as role models. Choice of role model did not similarly relate to self-reports of stress in the student role or of departmental satisfaction, but female students with female role models reported higher satisfaction with their student role than did male or female students with a male role model. Alternate explanations for the findings are discussed and questions for future research in this area are raised.