Examining the Relationship between Career Outcome Expectations and Physics Identity

A small percentage of physics degrees are awarded each year. Previous studies about career outcome expectations, or what students hope to achieve in their careers, have revealed strong relationships between outcome expectations and STEM career choice. Drawing from a US national survey with responses from 15,847 students in mandatory College English courses (Outreach Programs and Science Career Intentions, NSF # 1161052), we examined the relationship between student’s outcome expectations and physics identity. It has previously been found that students with certain outcome expectations are more likely to develop a physics identity. Expanding beyond prior work, we focus on how outcome expectations are related to physics identity for students grouped by: (i) medical and engineering career aspirations, and (ii) female and male self-identification. The results provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between outcome expectations and physics identity for different grouping of students