Science-related professional aspirations and students' social background: Developing and validating the Taste for Science Test (TaSTe).
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| Title: | Science-related professional aspirations and students' social background: Developing and validating the Taste for Science Test (TaSTe). |
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| Authors: | Correia Fraga Junior, Jailton1 (AUTHOR) jailtoncfjr@gmail.com, Lima Junior, Paulo2 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Research in Science Education. Feb2026, Vol. 56 Issue 1, p165-182. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Science education, *Academic ability, *Vocational interests, *STEM occupations, Social background, Brazilians, Cultural capital, Structural equation modeling |
| People: | Bourdieu, Pierre, 1930-2002 |
| Abstract: | Students' professional aspirations constitute an established area of research within the field of science education. To explore how students' taste for science bridges the gap between their social background and professional aspirations, we developed the Taste for Science Test (TaSTe), which draws on Pierre Bourdieu's theory of practice. We applied this test to a large sample of Brazilian students (n = 1582) for validation. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were the main data analytical tools utilized. The results indicated that the TaSTe is a reliable measure of students' taste for science and mediates the relationship between social background and professional aspirations. Although the effects of family income and parental education on students' taste for science are modest, their effects on students' professional aspirations are notable. While parental education and family income modestly increase the taste for science, even most affluent middle-class families do not consistently demonstrate a positive relationship with science. These results highlight the importance of cultivating students' taste for science to address denialism and the lack of STEM professionals in developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | Students' professional aspirations constitute an established area of research within the field of science education. To explore how students' taste for science bridges the gap between their social background and professional aspirations, we developed the Taste for Science Test (TaSTe), which draws on Pierre Bourdieu's theory of practice. We applied this test to a large sample of Brazilian students (n = 1582) for validation. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were the main data analytical tools utilized. The results indicated that the TaSTe is a reliable measure of students' taste for science and mediates the relationship between social background and professional aspirations. Although the effects of family income and parental education on students' taste for science are modest, their effects on students' professional aspirations are notable. While parental education and family income modestly increase the taste for science, even most affluent middle-class families do not consistently demonstrate a positive relationship with science. These results highlight the importance of cultivating students' taste for science to address denialism and the lack of STEM professionals in developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 0157244X |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11165-025-10255-z |
