Study of attitude towards research of research scholars in relation to their research anxiety and self efficacy

Abstract

Present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship of attitude towards research with research anxiety and research self efficacy among PhD research scholars. Descriptive survey method was used in the present study. 302 PhD research scholars were randomly selected from the disciplines of social sciences including faculties of Education, History, Commerce, Physical Education, Political Science, Hindi and sociology. Research attitude scale by Bhutia and Kharsati (2013), Research self-efficacy scale by Buyukozturk, Atalay, Sozgun and Kebapci (2011) and Research anxiety scale developed and standardized by the investigator were used for data collection. The reliability index of Research anxiety scale was found to .62 which was calculated by test re-test method and validity was established by concurrent validity method for which the present scale was correlated with research anxiety rating scale by Onwuegbuzie (2011). The validity index comes out to be 0.56. Results of the study revealed unfavorable attitude towards research among most of the PhD research scholars. Pearson s correlation coefficient reflected significant negative relationship between attitude towards research and research anxiety. Significant positive relationship was found between attitude towards research and research self-efficacy. Regression analysis was conducted to estimate the prediction power of research anxiety and research self-efficacy on attitude towards research. The results showed that both research anxiety and research self-efficacy significantly predict attitude towards research. The study concludes by making suggestions that more research work is required to undertaken on the context of reduction of barriers like stress and anxiety and for enhancement of positive self-efficacy. newline