EVALULATING RELATIONS OF SOCIAL-COGNITIVE VARIABLES AND PERSONALITY TO ACADEMIC SATISFACTION: UTILITY FOR TAIWANESE UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to verify the appropriateness of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) applying to undergraduates in Science and Engineering in Taiwan. In addition, the author extended the empirical literature on SCCT by examining the personality, social-cognitive variables (self-efficacy, interest, performance), and academic satisfaction. Specifically, this study examined (1) the differences between females and males in the measured variables, (2) the relations between the measured variables, (3) the predictors of academic satisfaction, and (4) the appropriateness of the purposed model based on the SCCT. Participants were 440 undergraduates majoring in Science and Engineering. They completed the NEO-FII, the Realistic and Investigative domains of CII, and three self-designed scales, which are Confidence in Science and Engineering Scale, Performance Scale, and Academic Satisfaction Scale in relation to Science and Engineering major. Data collected were analyzed by MANOVA, Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation, multiple regression, and SEM. The findings indicated that (1) there were significant gender differences in personality, interest, performance and academic satisfaction, (2) the intercorrelations between certain measured variables were significant, (3) personality, self-efficacy, interests, and performance could effectively predict the academic satisfaction of undergraduates in Science and Engineering, and (4) the modified model based on the SCCT was partially supported by the data in this study. Implications for practice and further research on the SCCT model as well as the role of the measured variables were discussed.