How Does Expectancy-Value-Cost Motivation Vary During A Semester? An Intensive Longitudinal Study To Explore Individual And Situational Sources Of Variation In Statistics Motivation

Sutter, C. C., Totonchi, D. A., DeCoster, J., Barron, K. E. & Hulleman, C. S. (2024). How does expectancy-value-cost motivation vary during a semester? An intensive longitudinal study to explore individual and situational sources of variation in statistics motivation. Learning and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102484

We measured expectancy, value, and cost 10 times over a 10-week introductory statistics course (N = 219) to examine their overall trajectory as well as individual (between-student) differences and situational (within-student) variability. First, our findings revealed an initial decline in expectancy and value and an initial increase in cost. Second, expectancy, utility value, and cost demonstrated individual and situational variability of comparable size, while intrinsic value had higher individual variability. Third, individual and situational variability in expectancy and value predicted variability in performance. Lastly, the relation of situational variability in expectancy and utility value with performance was stronger for Black, Latinx, and other racially marginalized students than for White/Asian students. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the situational nature of motivational beliefs and have implications for practitioners, course curriculum designers, and policymakers who aim to create more supportive and motivation-enhancing environments, particularly for statistics courses and students from racially marginalized and underserved backgrounds.