The Role of Social- Cognitive References in Academic Situations on Students’ Research Self-Efficacy and Research Motivation: Testing a Causal Model

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relation between factors that effect on research products, research self-efficacy and research motivation in students applying a causal model. The method used this descriptive study was structural equation modeling (SEM) which is an advanced correlative method. A sample of 126 PHD students was selected from two Universities in North western of Iran. Participants responded to research self-efficacy, research motivation and research factor scales. Pearson correlation coefficients showed that most of the research self-efficacy factors, research motivation factors (internal motivation, external motivation and being motiveless) and components of research factors (previous experiences, others encouragement, substitute experiences, anxiety and attitude) are significantly correlated (p<0/05). SEM results revealed the mediating role of research self-efficacy in relation between research factors and research motivation (NNFI=0/90, RSMEA= 0/06); and most of the path coefficients of the suggested model were significant (p<0/05). Based on this result, we can calculate that environmental factors in university have effects on student’s performance in research.