ABSTRACT

Background: The representation of women in physics majors is persistently low despite ongoing calls for reforms to improve gender equality. This article builds upon prior research by applying the sociocognitive construct of self-determination in analysing women’s experiences leading to their choice of physics study, along with factors affecting their behavioural persistence and physics identity.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine variables affecting women’s physics identities and persistence in pursuing their physics degrees. Factors were explored that impacted the self-determination of women in physics, that is, how their personal resources and socialisation facilitated regulatory behaviours to be successful in the major.

Sample: Six women physics majors were recruited from a research university in the Northeast U.S., where all had participated in undergraduate physics research.

Design and Methods: This qualitative cross-case study focused on undergraduate women to analyse factors that influenced their experiences in the major. Data collection focused on motivation and support, challenges they encountered, and how they overcame them. By examining these factors, common themes were identified regarding their recruitment and retention in physics, specifically in terms of social integration and external validation. Interview transcripts were analysed using a phenomenological approach to generate a set of integrated themes providing a theoretical explanation for physics major selection and persistence that incorporated aspects of competence, autonomy and social relatedness.

Results: The support of faculty, research opportunities and peer socialisation were factors that contributed to the development of self-determination. Hindrances that impacted women’s undergraduate experiences included negative gender stereotypes, persistent self-doubt, minority status and unwelcoming classroom cultures. Self-determination was characterised by social integration, confidence, and individual and collective agency.

Conclusion: A new explanatory framework for the persistence of women in undergraduate physics is proposed, suggesting self-determination is facilitated by external validation, which in turn moderates the impact of personal and social tensions.

摘要

背景：尽管不断呼吁进行改革以改善性别平等，但物理专业中女性的代表性一直很低。本文在先前研究的基础上，通过应用自我决定的社会认知结构来分析导致她们选择物理研究的女性经历，以及影响她们的行为持久性和物理特性的因素。

目的：该研究的目的是检查影响女性物理学身份和坚持攻读物理学学位的变量。探讨了影响物理学中女性自决权的因素，即她们的个人资源和社会化如何促进监管行为在专业中取得成功。

样本：从美国东北部的一所研究型大学招聘了六名物理专业的女学生，她们都参加了本科物理研究。

设计和方法：这项定性的跨案例研究侧重于女大学生，以分析影响她们在专业上的经历的因素。数据收集侧重于动机和支持、他们遇到的挑战以及他们如何克服这些挑战。通过检查这些因素，确定了关于他们在物理学中的招募和保留的共同主题，特别是在社会融合和外部验证方面。使用现象学方法分析面试记录，以生成一组综合主题，为物理专业选择和坚持提供理论解释，其中包括能力、自主性和社会相关性等方面。

结果：教师的支持、研究机会和同伴社会化是促进自决发展的因素。影响女性本科经历的障碍包括负面的性别刻板印象、持续的自我怀疑、少数族裔地位和不受欢迎的课堂文化。自决的特点是社会融合、信心以及个人和集体能动性。

结论：提出了一个新的解释性框架来解释本科物理中女性的持久性，表明外部验证促进了自决，这反过来又缓和了个人和社会紧张局势的影响。