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) |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jailton Correia Fraga Junior (ORCID |
| Source: | Research in Science Education. 2026 56(1):165-182. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Science Tests, Science Interests, Student Interests, Test Construction, Test Validity, Test Reliability, Foreign Countries, Socioeconomic Background, Occupational Aspiration, Social Class |
| Geographic Terms: | Brazil |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11165-025-10255-z |
| ISSN: | 0157-244X 1573-1898 |
| 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. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1504509 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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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. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0157-244X 1573-1898 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11165-025-10255-z |
