Same-Race Role-models and Self-Efficacy among African American College Students

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent & Brown, 1996) offers an understanding of career interest, goals, and performance. It is based, in large part, on the social cognitive construct of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1986). The theory offers a framework for the interactive influence that self-efficacy, outcomes expectations, and personal goals have upon each other in the formation of a person's career aspirations. Within SCCT and the Social Learning Theory that it is based on, there is the presumption that modeling is a key component of learning (Bandura, 1986). The purpose of this study was to explore the impact that same-race role-models may have on the career and academic self-efficacy of African American college students. Results of a regression analysis indicated no significant relationship between the number of role-models on the career and academic self-efficacy of the participants. These results call into question the impact of role-modeling programs that use race matching as a method of increasing African American student success. At least with respect to self-efficacy beliefs, the current study indicates that an increase in same race role-models is not impactful for students.