Interdisciplinary Collaborations in Academia: Modeling the Roles of Perceived Contextual Norms and Motivation to Collaborate

In academia, interdisciplinary collaborations allow individuals with different areas of expertise and resources to accomplish shared goals. Nevertheless, because interdisciplinary scholars often have different knowledge areas or methodological training, such collaborations may be less likely to form. In this manuscript, we provide a step toward understanding how interdisciplinary collaborations form within academic contexts. Specifically, we propose a model in which the effect of organizational norms on collaborative outcomes are mediated by departmental norms and motivation, sequentially. To test this model, 197 interdisciplinary faculty members from a large university in the Northeast were surveyed. Overall, the results provide some support for our proposed model, such that if organizations provide structural support and foster an environment that welcomes collaborations, interdisciplinary collaborative relationships will be more likely to form (i.e. faculty members will be increasingly motivated to engage in interdisciplinary research).