But My Parents Think I Can: Intrinsic Math Motivation and Student-Perceived Parental Ability Beliefs

• In Event: Parental Effects on Adolescents' and Young Adults' Motivation and Career Plans in STEM

Abstract

Objectives
This paper focuses on student-perceived parents’ perceptions (i.e. how the students think their parents evaluate their math ability), and how discrepancies between those perceptions and their own self-related math ability beliefs can affect the development of students’ intrinsic motivation in math. If students perceive that their parents consider their math ability higher than they themselves, this reinforcement should support the development of intrinsic motivation. Theoretical support stems from the Self Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985), arguing that when needs for social support and competence are met, intrinsic motivation is fostered.

Framework
Expectancy Value Theory emphasizes the role of socializers, such as parents, teacher, or peers in students’ development of academic motivation (Eccles, 2007). Research showed that the parental ability perceptions of their daughters/sons positively influence students’ development of intrinsic task values during elementary and secondary school (e.g., Gniewosz, Eccles, & Noack, in press). However, it is important to notice that parental self-reported ability beliefs and how students perceive their parents’ can differ to a large extent (Gniewosz & Noack, 2012).

Methods and Data
This paper is based on an Australian longitudinal study (Watt, 2004; Study of Transitions and Education Pathways; www.stepsstudy.org). In this paper, 1257 students are included from three sequential cohorts, across grades seven through ten (C1: 7—10, C2: 7—9, C3: 9—10). Students’ intrinsic motivation in math, their own math ability beliefs, as well their perceptions of their mothers’ and fathers’ ability beliefs were assessed. Students’ development of intrinsic motivation over time was modeled in latent True Intraindividual Changes Models (Steyer, Partchev, & Shanahan, 2000).

Results
One-year changes in intrinsic motivation between grade levels were predicted by the extent to which student-perceived parents’ beliefs of students’ math abilities exceeded students’ own self-perceptions of ability, controlled for gender, math grade, and SES. Separate models were run for maternal and paternal perceptions. As expected, the results of the structural equation models showed that the extent of student-perceived maternal/paternal overestimation positively predicted growth in students’ math intrinsic motivation, between all grade levels.

Significance
The results are interpreted against the backdrop of SDT and the Expectancy Value Model (Eccles, 2007). The perceived parental overestimations of students’ own perceived ability level in math, seems to play an important role in the development of intrinsic motivation. If students perceive social and competence support, namely that parents think that they are able in math although the student’s self-perception is less optimistic, the development of intrinsic motivation is enhanced. By the same token, if students feel their ability level is underestimated, their intrinsic motivation in math is undermined. Results will be discussed in terms of the importance of students’ perceptions of their social environments.

Authors

• Burkhard Gniewosz, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Helen M.G. Watt, Monash University