How can graduate students' research pressure be transformed into motivation and innovative behavior? The role of graduate students' mentorship homegate (or team) support

Front Psychol. 2025 Jan 8:15:1439478. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1439478. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Introduction: This study explores how graduate students' mentorship homegate (or team) support (GSMTS) and challenging-hindering pressures impact their intrinsic motivation for research, identification with research roles, and innovative behaviors.

Methods: Data from 548 graduate students were collected using convenience sampling and analyzed using Amos and SPSS statistical software package via questionnaires distributed to universities in SiChuan province of China.

Result: The findings reveal that (1) research stress can not directly and positively predict innovative behaviors among graduate students, while intrinsic research motivation and research role identification mediate the relationship between research stress and graduate students' innovative behavior; (2) hindering research pressure negatively impacts the intrinsic motivation for research, whereas challenging research pressure has a positive effect; (3) GSMTS directly fosters innovative behaviors among graduate students, with intrinsic motivation and roles' identification for research as sequential mediators; and (4) GSMTS positively moderates the relationship between challenging research pressure and both the intrinsic motivation for research and role identity.

Discussion: This suggests that higher education institutions should cultivate an optimal research and innovation environment for graduate students by increasing challenging research pressure and reducing hindering pressure. They should also emphasize the development of graduate students' intrinsic motivation for research and identification with research roles. Concurrently, the role of GSMTS should be highlighted to facilitate both the direct and indirect development of graduate students' innovative behaviors.

Keywords: challenging-hindering research pressure; graduate students’ mentorship homegate (or team) support; innovative behavior; intrinsic research motivation; research role identity.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the Major Project of the Council of Presidents of Graduate Schools of China in 2021: “Strategy Research on Multi-dimensional Competencies of Graduate Supervisors and Paths for Their Training Enhancement” (ACGS03-2021004). The Soft Science Project of Sichuan Province Science and Technology Department: “Impacts of Alienation in Advisor-Student Relationship Under the Background of ‘Double First-Class’ Initiative on Graduate Students’ Mental Health and Strategies for Countermeasures Construction” (2023JDR0238). The Project of Sichuan University’s Center for Education Research on College Students’ Ideological and Political Education (CSZ23099). The Southwest Jiaotong University’s New Interdisciplinary Cultivation Fund (2682024ZDPY002). The research outcomes of the 2023 Annual Project (SZSWJTU23-07) undertaken by the Training and Research Center for Ideological and Political Work Cadres in Higher Education Institutions (Southwest Jiaotong University).