Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Spring 4-9-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

April 2026

Department

Psychology

College Granting Degree

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Department Granting Degree

Psychology

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Geoffrey Wetherell

Abstract

Prior research suggests that help-seeking is a social process shaped by interpersonal context, yet less is known about how help type and partner characteristics influence self-related outcomes in STEM settings. The present research examined how autonomy-oriented and dependency-oriented help, partner gender, and the alignment between requested and received help relate to women’s state self-esteem, STEM self-concept, affect, and recognition sensitivity. Across two studies, participants completed a STEM task and interacted with a simulated partner who provided help.

In Study 1 (N = 215), participants received the type of help they requested, allowing for an examination of how help type and partner gender shaped post-task outcomes and whether benevolent sexism predicted help selection. Contrary to predictions, partner gender and benevolent sexism did not influence help-seeking behavior or post-task self-esteem and affect. However, participants who received autonomy-oriented help reported higher STEM self-concept than those who received dependency-oriented help.

Study 2 (N = 86) examined whether receiving help that either matched or mismatched participants’ initial requests produced differential psychological and cognitive consequences. Results indicated that help alignment and partner gender did not influence state self-esteem, affect, or recognition sensitivity. However, participants who initially requested autonomy-oriented help reported higher STEM self-concept regardless of the help received.

Across studies, partner gender and help alignment did not reliably shape emotional or cognitive outcomes. Instead, help-seeking preferences were consistently associated with STEM self-concept, suggesting that perceptions of competence may relate to the type of help individuals choose to seek. These findings highlight the importance of help structure in shaping competence-related self-perceptions and have implications for understanding persistence in STEM environment.

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