Abstract
In this article, we focus on the mentoring process, and we argue that the internal and external pressures extant at research universities may create a research culture that may be antithetical to appropriate mentoring. We developed a scale based on motivation theory to determine the perceived research culture in departments and research laboratories, and a mentoring scale to determine approaches to mentoring graduate students. Participants were 610 faculty members across 49 departments at a research oriented university. The findings were that a mastery-oriented research climate and an outcome-oriented research climate were manifested at the university. More importantly, each research climate had its own unique impact on how the faculty approached mentoring graduate students. A mastery research climate was related to a more supportive approach to mentoring than the outcome research climate. We concluded by suggesting that the outcome research climate may have an adverse effect on effective mentoring and on maintaining research ethics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Prieur, D.J. (1994) Mentoring inexperienced faculty members. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Education 21 (2): 2–3.
Shea, G.F. (1994) Mentoring: Helping Employees Rearch Their Full Potential. American Management Association, New York.
Kohn, A. (1986). False prophets. Basil Blackwell, New York.
Panel on Scientific Responsibility and Conduct of Research. (1992). Responsible Science Ensuring the Integrity of the Research Process. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.
Noe, R.A. (1988) An investigation of the determinants of successful assigned mentoring. Personnel Psychology 41: 457–479.
Alberts, B. & Shine, K. (1994) Scientists and the integrity of research. Science 266: 1660–1661.
Roberts, G.C. (1993). Ethics in professional advising and academic counseling of graduate students. Quest 45: 78–87.
Roberts, G.C. & Sprague, R.L. (1995) To compete or not to compete? Mentoring and the research climate. Professional Ethics Report 8 (4): 1–7.
Maehr, M. L. & Braskamp, L. (1986) The Motivation Factor: A Theory of Personal Investment, Heath and Co., Lexington, MA, USA.
Nicholls, J.G. (1989) The Competitive Ethos and Democratic Education, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Roberts, G.C., Treasure, D.C. & Kavussanu, M. (1997). Motivation in physical activity contexts: An achievement goal perspective. In P. Pintrich & M. Maehr (Eds.), Advances in Motivation and Achievement (Vol. 10). JAI Press, Stamford, CT, USA, pp. 413–447.
Ames, C. A. (1992). Achievement goals, motivational climate, and motivational processes. In G. C. Roberts (Ed.), Motivation in Sport and Exercise. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, USA, pp 161–176.
Tabachnick, B.G. & Fidell, L.S. (1996) Using Multivariate Statistics. (3rd Ed) HarperCollins, New York.
Sprague, R.L., Daw, J. & Roberts, G.C. (2001) Various Influences on and Comments About Ethical Beliefs Concerning Research of Faculty and Graduate Students. Science and Engineering Ethics 7: 507–520.
Zuckerman, H. (1977) Scientific Elite. Free Press, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roberts, G.C., Kavussanu, M. & Sprague, R.L. Mentoring and the impact of the research climate. SCI ENG ETHICS 7, 525–537 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-001-0010-1
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-001-0010-1