The Role of Identity
Development, Values, and
Costs in College STEM
Retention
Authors: Tony Perez, Jennifer G. Cromley, and Avi Kaplan
Temple University
Oral Report 1
Michelle Ware
Introduction: Need
 Expectancy-value theory (Eccles,1983) provides a
framework for the link between achievement motivation
and choice behavior
 Competence beliefs and values have been found to be
factors in achievement motivation and choice behavior
in STEM subjects (Chow, Eccles, & Salmela-Aro, 2012)
 Past research has lacked in exploring the development
of competence beliefs and values as well as in
examining the “cost” of pursuing STEM disciplines.
Introduction: Purpose
1. What role does identity development play in students’
motivational beliefs and retention intentions?
2. Does perceived cost contribute to students’ retention
intentions above and beyond values and competence
beliefs?
3. What role do motivational beliefs play in chemistry
grades and retention intentions over a semester?
4. Do different kinds of perceived cost contribute
differentially to students’ retention intentions?
Sample
 Participants (N = 363) at a large, urban university
 Enrolled in a Chemistry 2 Lab Course
 Freshman (62%) and Sophomores (21%)
 45% Caucasian, 56% (Asian, African American, Indian
Subcontinent, Middle Eastern, Hispanic/Latino, other
races, and mixed races)
 96.5% either were STEM majors (e.g., biology,
chemistry), on a STEM track (e.g., pre-med, prepharmacy), or intended to declare a STEM major
Method
 Single-semester longitudinal design
 15-week semester
 Online surveys were administered (2nd and 8thweek)




Competence beliefs
Values
Self-perceived cost
Foreclosed & Achieved Identity
 Students self-reported their chemistry exam grades and
intentions to leave STEM (5th and 13th week)
Results: Question 1 & 2
What role does identity development play in
students’ motivational beliefs and retention
intentions?
Does perceived cost contribute to students’
retention intentions above and beyond values
and competence beliefs?
Results
Motivated in
Major
Achieved
Identity
Likely to
Remain in
STEM
Cost:
STEM is
worth it
Results
Foreclosed
Identity
Not Motivated
in Major
Not Likely to
Remain in
STEM
Cost:
STEM not
worth it
Results: Question 3
What role do motivational beliefs play in
chemistry grades and retention intentions over
a semester?
Results
Better
Performance
Good
Performance
Competence
&
Value
in STEM
Commitment
to
STEM
Results: Question 4
Do different kinds of perceived cost contribute
differentially to students’ retention intentions?
Results
Forgone Opportunities
Effort
Psychology/Emotional
Retention
Intention
Results: Conclusion
 Differences in motivation between students who have
explored their career identity and those who have not
 Performance in chemistry may effect motivation in STEM
over the course of a semester
 Perception of cost required to be successful in STEM can
play an important role in students’ decisions to leave STEM.
Results: Limitations
 Only assessing performance in for chemistry
 Causal relationships were unable to be confirmed between
motivation and identity
 Foreclosed identity may not accurately reflect the
commitments of the students
Results: Implications
 Future research needs to further examine the role of cost in
academic choice of STEM majors
 Impact chemistry may have on the motivation of STEM
majors
 Re-examine influence on STEM retention efforts.