Investigating academic and demographic similarities to career role models for motivating diverse college students in STEM

Similar role models can be powerful tools to motivate participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, but it is unclear what types of similarity are most important to students' motivation. The current study investigated the different ways college students ( n = 1185) perceived similarity to STEM role models and how different perceptions of similarity predicted students' STEM career motivation. We assessed overall trends as well as unique patterns among marginalized and non-marginalized gender and racial/ethnic groups in STEM. Perceiving academic similarity to role models positively and robustly predicted students' STEM career motivation, whereas perceiving demographic similarity to role models played a more limited role. Perceiving similar academic efforts to role models seemed to be especially important for motivating students from marginalized gender and racial/ethnic groups in STEM. Findings have important implications for how to leverage role models in college interventions designed to promote STEM motivation and career participation. Though role models have been shown to be powerful tools in shaping motivation in many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, not all STEM role models are equally powerful motivators to college students. Our results suggest that role models perceived as academically similar (i.e., in terms of academic abilities, interests, or efforts) may positively support college students' competence-related beliefs and values for pursuing STEM careers. Students' gender and racial/ethnic background also shaped how they related to and felt motivated by STEM role models. Presenting students with role models who put forth similar academic efforts to students may be especially helpful in supporting motivation among students from historically marginalized gender and racial/ethnic groups in STEM. • Perceiving academic similarity to role models can support STEM career motivation. • Women and men rely on different similarities when being motivated by STEM role models. • Seeing role models with similar efforts is key for racially marginalized students.