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Conference theme: Student Populations and Diversity
Title: Do Extracurricular Roles Impact on Retention? A Social Exchange Theory Perspective.
Louise Horstmanshof & Craig Zimitat
Abstract
Low first-year university retention rates continue to impact negatively on funding,
enrolments and public perception of higher education institutions around the
world. Today’s student has many competing roles: student, worker, partner,
parent, child, sibling and friend. Social Exchange Theory is explored as a model
for understanding student decision-making behaviour regarding continuation of
study. We propose that students continually evaluate the cost/benefits associated
with each of their life roles, and invest in those roles that are relatively
rewarding and disinvest in those that they perceive as relatively costly. Increasing
numbers of roles does not appear to be related to intentions to leave study.
We suggest that other factors such as optimism, motivation and self-management
contribute to the strength of a role and its power to negotiate dominance within
the SET framework.
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