Do Perceived Costs Affect Achievement in an Undergraduate Biology Course? It Depends on Self-Efficacy

• In Event: Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session 1

Abstract

While research highlights positive effects of competence beliefs and values on achievement and persistence, research examining the effects of costs on such outcomes is less prevalent. We examine the unique effect of costs on academic outcomes and whether self-efficacy moderates the relations between costs and the outcomes with 190 students enrolled in an undergraduate gateway biology course. Results indicated that interest value and self-efficacy predicted biology grade while utility value predicted persistence intentions. Self-efficacy moderated the relationships between costs and grade; however, these effects varied for different costs. Effort and psychological costs negatively predicted grade when self-efficacy was high. Opportunity cost positively predicted grade when self-efficacy was low. Contributions of these findings to research and theory are discussed.

Authors

• Tony Perez, Old Dominion University

• Wanda Brooks, Old Dominion University

• Arianna White, Old Dominion University

• Elizabeth Richmond, Old Dominion University

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

• Avi Kaplan, Temple University

• Ting Dai, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Kyle R Mara, University of Southern Indiana

• Hannah Ruck, Old Dominion University

• Yonaton S. Davidson, Temple University

• Michael Balsai