The function of social support in engaging and disengaging experiences among post PhD researchers in STEM disciplines
基于40名STEM领域博士后的访谈，研究了社会支持（或缺乏支持）如何影响他们早期职业生涯中的参与和脱离体验，发现情感和信息支持至关重要，并识别出第四种支持形式——共建支持。
The post-doctoral phase is characterized by a high level of competition and even a risk of unemployment due to the increasing number of PhDs. This study explores the function of social support or lack of it in post PhD researchers’ engaging and disengaging experiences from the beginning of their careers as researchers. The data were collected from 40 post PhD researchers from STEM disciplines through semi-structured interviews and qualitatively content analysed. Receiving socio-emotional and informational support was perceived as highly significant for experienced engagement and disengagement, while instrumental support was rarely reported. Also a fourth form of social support, that is,. co-constructional support was identified. The results indicate that various forms of social support provide a significant mechanism that mediates post PhD researchers’ engagement and disengagement in their early careers.