Science Undergraduates’ Profiles of Independent and Interdependent Motives: Relations With First-Generation Status, Motivation, and Achievement (Poster 10)

• In Event: Saturday Poster Session 3:05 pm
  In Poster Session: Explorations in Student Motivation, Self-Efficacy, and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

A barrier for first-generation college (FG) students is that they often hold interdependent motives while universities typically emphasize independent motives. This mismatch may explain motivation and achievement differences between FG and continuing-generation (CG) students, who typically have independent motives. We examined profiles of combined interdependent and independent motives among 264 science undergraduates and the relations of profiles to FG status, situated expectancy-value science motivation, and biology course achievement. Three profiles were identified (High Motives, Moderate Motives, and Interdependent Driven). While there was no relation of FG status to profiles, the High Motives profile (high independent and interdependent motives) endorsed higher values than the others, which suggests universities should support science students’ independent and interdependent motives to support science task value.

Authors

• Faith Watrous, Old Dominion University

• Melissa R Colangelo, Old Dominion University

• Doug Snuffer, Old Dominion University

• Moss C. Miller, Old Dominion University

• Tony Perez, Old Dominion University

• Stacy J. Priniski, Temple University

• Judith Harackiewicz, University of Wisconsin - Madison