Becoming a physicist: a longitudinal study on social norms in an undergraduate physics programme

Abstract

There are long-standing and persistent inequities in physics for underrepresented groups. Existing research from physics and science education has identified extensive demographic gaps and shown that underrepresented groups experience physics differently due to prevalent stereotypes and discourses of physics, but there has been little change in practice. Recommendations have frequently focused on the effect of problematic stereotypes on young people. However, little attention has been paid to how higher education contributes to these discourses and stereotypes in its expected and accepted norms. This study provides unique insight into how undergraduate students’ values and social norms change throughout their degrees. It adopts a pragmatic approach to achieve this, drawing on behavioural and sociocultural theories regarding taken-for-granted social norms. A longitudinal mixed-methods approach was taken, using questionnaires and focus groups conducted with students at multiple points during their first three years of undergraduate study, complemented by surveys of staff. This study found that as students progressed through their studies, they significantly devalued interpersonal social skills, creativity, and being objective, unbiased, and truthful. Students’ views also progressively diverged from those of staff members as students learned what skills were necessary to do well in their degree. It was further identified that the social norms of an undergraduate physics course have clear parallels with the problematised physics stereotypes of high intelligence, devotion, and being asocial. These norms were reinforced through structural mechanisms of a high workload, frequent assessment, scaling procedures, approachability of staff, and pedagogical decisions. Over time, students described becoming more confident in themselves and their position in physics, but for some, this corresponded with their decision to leave the field. Drawing from physics, science, and higher education research discourses, this study offers new perspectives on persistent inequity in physics and challenges justifications that the cause of the problem is ‘elsewhere’.