Daily Autonomy, Relatedness, and Classroom Engagement Among Latino and White High School Science Students (Poster 23)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Twelve
  In Poster Session: Learning and Motivation in Social and Cultural Contexts 1

Abstract

According to self-determination theory (SDT), students have psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness that must be satisfied for them to flourish. While SDT asserts these needs are universal, cross-cultural studies have reported variation in their importance. In this daily-diary study, we surveyed White (n=70) and Latino (n=87) high-school students to examine whether students’ perceptions of daily autonomy and relatedness predicted engagement, and whether relatedness bolstered relationships of autonomy with engagement. Results suggest that autonomy and relatedness predict increases in engagement across both groups. Further, autonomy predicted greater increases in engagement for Latino students on days when relatedness was higher. This interaction was not significant among White students. Results suggest the importance of attending to culture when examining motivational processes.

Authors

• Amanda Vite, University of Southern California
  Presenting Author

• Diane Lee, University of Southern California
  Presenting Author

• Erika A. Patall, University of Southern California
  Presenting Author

• Jeanette Zambrano, University of Southern California
  Presenting Author