Do Aspirational Role Models Inspire or Backfire? Perceived Similarity Mediates the Effect of Role Models on Minority Students' College Choices

Autor/inn/en	Allen, Evelyn C.; Collisson, Brian
Titel	Do Aspirational Role Models Inspire or Backfire? Perceived Similarity Mediates the Effect of Role Models on Minority Students' College Choices
Quelle	In: Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 30 (2020) 2, S.221-238 (18 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0884-1241
DOI	10.1080/08841241.2020.1723780
Schlagwörter	Academic Aspiration; Role Models; Race; Ethnicity; Minority Group Students; College Applicants; College Choice; Disproportionate Representation; Student Recruitment; Communication Strategies; Marketing; Congruence (Psychology); Social Psychology; Alumni + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Identifikationsfigur; Rasse; Abstammung; Ethnizität; College applications; Studienbewerber; Studienortwahl; Kommunikationsstrategie; Congruence; Psychology; Kongruenz; Psychologie; Sozialpsychologie
Abstract	Drawing from psychological theory, an aspirational role model within college marketing materials may cause prospective students to be willing to make similar enrollment and academic choices if the role model is perceived as similar to themselves. Therefore, we predicted that prospective, minority students exposed to a role model of the same, rather than different, ethnicity will be more willing to enroll in the same institution and make similar academic choices. Further, we predicted perceived similarity may mediate the effect of role model ethnicity on academic choices. To experimentally test our predictions, we presented 151 prospective, minority students (49% Black, 32.5% Hispanic, 18.5% Asian) with alumni profiles that varied in regard to ethnicity (same ethnicity, White) and accomplishment (modest, extreme). Prospective students then rated perceived similarity with the alumni and willingness to make similar academic choices. A series of analyses confirmed our predictions. Prospective, minority students were more willing to make similar choices when presented with a role model of the same, rather than different, ethnicity. As predicted, perceived similarity mediated the effect of role model ethnicity on academic choices. Interestingly, accomplishments of the alumni did not affect students' choices. Implications for recruiting students of color in higher education are discussed. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01