Emotions in Science Class: Relations to Expectancy and Value and Gender Differences

• In Event: How Do You Feel About STEM? Examining the Overlooked Role of Emotions for Career Aspirations

Abstract

Theoretical Framework and Objectives. Theory and research suggest that students’ expectancies and values predict performance, course enrollment, career choice, and persistence in a domain (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000). Antecedents of expectancies and values include classroom experiences (e.g. Hulleman, Durik, Schweigert, & Harackiewicz, 2008). With this in mind, the present study seeks to address the following research question: What is the relation between classroom emotions and value (expectancy)?

Method. We conducted a diary study with 218 high school students in 43 classes. Students reported their positive and negative emotions during science class over a six-week unit. Emotions were assessed daily with two subscales of the Engagement/Disaffection with Learning Student Report (Furrer & Skinner, 2003) and were aggregated to create a measure of cumulative emotional experience during the unit. Expectancy and value for the science course were assessed before and after the unit with the perceived competence scale (Williams & Deci, 1996) and the subjective task value scale (Wigfield et al., 1997) respectively.

Results and Discussion. Multi-level modeling results suggest that positive (β=.35, p<0.001) and negative emotions (β=.16, p<0.05) predicted increases in attainment value for the science course at the end of the six-week instructional unit, controlling for students’ attainment value for the science at the beginning of the six weeks. However, students’ positive emotion during class was the only significant predictor of increases in utility value (β=.3, p<0.001), intrinsic value (β=.44, p<0.001), and expectancy for science (β=.17, p<0.001). While gender did not predict any of the outcomes, the interaction between negative emotion and gender was significant in models predicting intrinsic (β=.17, p<0.05) and attainment value (β=-.23, p<0.05). Results suggested that the relation between negative emotion and intrinsic value at the end of the unit, controlling for baseline levels, may be more positive for female compared to male students. In contrast, the relations between negative emotions during class and attainment value for the science course may be more positive for male compared to female students. Results suggest that daily classroom emotions play an important role in students’ expectancies and values and that these processes differ by gender and by type of value.

Authors

• Rebecca Rose Steingut, The University of Texas - Austin

• Erika Alisha Patall, The University of Texas - Austin

• Ariana Christine Vasquez, The University of Texas - Austin