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What Drives Interest in Astronomy Content? Evidence for the Primacy of Domain Specific Interest Over Personality
Author(s): Don Daughtry
Abstract: This study examined whether engagement with astronomy content is better explained by domain specific interest than by broad personality traits. Thirty-five undergraduate students read a brief astronomy passage, and rated their interest in the passage material, psychological absorption, science fiction interest, interest in watching the night sky and the Ten Item Personality Inventory. Correlational analyses indicated that passage interest was positively associated with absorption and night sky interest, but not with personality traits. In regression analyses, only interest in the night sky showed a significant association with passage interest, whereas personality traits did not account for additional variance. These findings support a proximal–distal framework in which domain specific interests more directly drive engagement with scientific content than global personality traits. Implications for science education and engagement are discussed.
Keywords: Astronomy interest; domain specific interest; personality traits; psychological absorption; student engagement; science education
Article: e011005
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