Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Communication, Professional

Date of Award

12-2008

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Carrie Oliveira

Committee Members

Karin Bartoszuk, Kelly A. Dorgan

Abstract

Research has identified that one limitation of traditional mentoring occurs when there is a mismatch between the mentor and the protégé in work styles and personalities. Further, most of the literature on mentoring has not examined the informal mentoring that occurs between college students. Recent research has identified this type of peer mentoring as collaborative mentoring. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of interpersonal attraction in the development and success of collaborative mentoring relationships and to further examine which attraction dimension was the best predictor of the success of the relationship. Multiple regression analysis showed task attraction was the best predictor of the overall success of a collaborative mentoring relationship. This work is significant because it shows a person's perceived level of competence directly influences the success of a collaborative mentoring relationship more than likeability or physical appearance.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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