Probing the Unique Contributions of Self Concept, Task Values, and Their Interactions Using Multiple Value Facets and Multiple Academic Outcomes
Drawing on expectancy value theory, the present study examined the unique contributions of the four major value beliefs and self concept on achievement, self reported effort, and teacher rated behavioral engagement in mathematics. In particular, we examined the multiplicative effects of self concept and task values on educational outcomes using the latent moderated structural equation approach. Participants were 1,868 German ninth grade students. The data analyses relied on a higher order structure of value beliefs, which is suited to parsing the differential patterns of predictive relations for different value beliefs. The findings revealed that (a) self concept was more predictive of achievement, whereas value beliefs were more predictive of self rated effort; (b) self concept and value beliefs emerged as equally important predictors of teacher reported engagement; (c) among the four value beliefs, achievement was more associated with low cost, whereas effort was more associated with attainment value; and (d) latent interactions between self concept and value beliefs predicted the three outcomes synergistically.