University students’ ratings of social identification and expectations of achievement in higher education

This thesis explored the experiences of undergraduate students in a post-1992 university in London in terms of how their identities might be associated with their expectations and perceptions of achievement in Higher Education. The social psychological theory of Social Identity was the main context through which these elements were examined. The participants who took part in the qualitative or quantitative studies were undergraduate students studying either professional or non-professional programmes. After separate analyses, the data were bought together through the mixed-method process of Joint Display analysis. Students enrolled on either professional or non-professional programmes were found to differ with younger students more likely to enrol in non-professional programmes. Measures of social identification with university, university peers or peers external to university were similar for students on both programme types and also did not differ by ethnicity, gender, or whether they were the first in their family to attend university. However, older students did score significantly less in measures of identification with their external peers than their younger colleagues. Also, there were indirect effects of social identification on the grade the student expected at the end of their course, mediated through perceived belonging support. When students’ expectations of academic achievement and success were considered, those on professional programmes perceived lower grades as being a successful academic outcome. There was no effect of ethnicity, gender, or whether they were the First in their Family to study at university on expected academic outcomes or perceived successful outcome grades. Age did have an effect: with the youngest age group expecting more likely to expect to obtain a first-class degree. Considering attributes assigned to the typical student and attributes students gave to themselves, professional students tended not to view themselves as being typical. There were associations between the attributes students gave themselves, typical students and measures of social identification and expected achievement and perceived success. Understanding these relationships should enable Higher Education Institutions to develop systems and processes to better support the diverse student body enrolled on both professional and non-professional degree programmes, some of which are outlined in the final chapter.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Greenwich

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Hanson, Karina

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Maras, Pamela

• LC Special aspects of education

Language dc:language

en