How Do Students Experience the Competitiveness–Well-Being Relation in STEM Majors? An Interview Study

• In Event: 31.091 - Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: 31.091-5 - Motivational and Cognitive Processes: Math and Science Education

Abstract

We expanded on the competition and performance research conducted by Murayama and Elliot (2012) by collecting interview data from STEM majors. Students clearly experienced the courses as highly competitive (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997), verbalized both performance-approach and performance-avoid goal orientations, and simultaneously verbalized both positive and negative aspects of subjective-well-being for self and others (e.g., feeling spurred on to out-perform others, feeling ashamed of a poor grade, wanting to see others fail, and cooperating with friends in studying). While performance-approach goals have typically been associated with better academic performance, in these interviews we saw a strong co-occurrence with negative effects on well-being of self and others.

Authors

• Monica D'Antonio, Montgomery County Community College

• Briana L. Chang, The College Board

• Jennifer G. Cromley, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign