Siekmann, Valentin (2023) The Role of Social Congruence on Class Engagement: a Qualitative Study from Students' Perspective on the Student-Mentor Relationship. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
The first year of university can be very challenging and stressful for new students. Peer mentors might provide assistance for the transition to university as they are believed to be more socially congruent compared to traditional mentors. This study aims to investigate the way in which students perceive peer and faculty mentors as socially congruent and to analyze the influence of this perception on their affective and behavioral engagement. The study utilized semi-structured interviews of twelve first-year students from a problem-based learning course taught by both peer and faculty mentors. The interviews were later coded and analyzed using “Atlas.ti 23”. Compared to faculty mentors, peer mentors showed higher levels of social congruence due to similar ages, understanding of students' challenges, and shared lifestyles. As a result, students perceived a qualitative difference in mentors, interest, empathy, emotional support, and relatedness, which influenced their engagement. The study concludes that while faculty mentors provide the needed authority and guidance that is crucial for students to succeed academically, peer mentors have the complementary role of providing the right assistance and support during the transitional period.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Dalley, S.E. and Azevedo Neto, F.A. de |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Jul 2023 08:49 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Jul 2023 08:49 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2489 |
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