Undergraduate Latina/o/x Motivation: Moderating Influences of Community Cultural Wealth on STEM Persistence Intentions

• In Event: The Interplay of Culture, Identity, and Motivation for Black and Latina/o Students in STEM Fields

Abstract

Constructs of expectancy-value motivation theory (EVT) are known to predict academic outcomes including undergraduate persistence. Recently, Eccles and Wigfield (2020) elevated the importance of EVT elements as being situationally specific and culturally bound. Using a sociocultural lens, we tested for moderating influences of community cultural wealth (CCW) capitals on the impact of EVT on 152 undergraduate Latina/o/x intentions to persist (ItP) in their STEM majors at a Hispanic-serving institution. Results indicated that EVT and CCW variables independently and significantly predicted ItP. Moreover, aspirational capital, navigational capital, and resistant capital each had a significant interaction effect with one or more constructs from EVT on students’ ItP, revealing a complex interplay of motivation and cultural capital wealth.

Authors

• Christie A Lawson, Texas State University - San Marcos

• Carlton J. Fong, Texas State University