Ritual Continuity or Ritual Disruption:How Laboratory Interactions Influence Doctoral Students' Research Capacity Development
Lang Ping, Liu Junying
School of Education,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan 430074,China;School of Education, China University of Geosciences(Wuhan),Wuhan 430074,China
Abstract：Based on interviews and online activity logs from 30 STEM Ph.D.students,this study applies Interaction Ritual Chain Theory and thematic analysis to explore how laboratory interactions shape research capacity development.Findings reveal that lab interactions function as a dynamic system of formal and informal rituals.Whether these rituals lead to“ritual continuity”or“ritual disruption”hinges on the flow of emotional energy and the accumulation or depletion of symbolic capital,which in turn influence doctoral students' research trajectories.In formal rituals,individual academic goals play a decisive role.High-goal engagement fosters ritual chaining and research advancement,but may also risk burnout.Low-goal orientation often results in stalled symbolic capital and disrupted rituals,hindering growth.In informal rituals,interaction orientation is key.Strong collaboration promotes shared capital and mutual development but may be undermined by conflict.Strong autonomy facilitates personal resilience but risks emotional isolation and weakened ritual continuity.The study proposes a model illustrating how lab interactions impact doctoral research capacity and offers insights into how supervisors and students can foster more productive and cohesive academic environments.
2026, 
