The Role of Mathematics and Science Expectancy-Value Attitudes in Students’ STEM Course-Taking and Major Choices

This study aimed to better understand the relationships between U.S. high school students’ STEM-related educational experiences, expectancy-value attitudes, achievement, course-taking, and college major choices. Analyses employed data from three waves of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) and used structural equation modeling to examine expectancy-value models of STEM motivation. Differences across gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic groups were examined to investigate the extent to which mathematics and science attitudes play a role in the underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM. Results suggest that a sense of identity as a math or science person is the most important attitude related to students’ decision to complete further math and science coursework and major in STEM. The underrepresentation of female students in STEM could be attributed to less positive attitudes about mathematics and science. However, the same could not be said for Black, Hispanic, or low SES groups, who generally had equal—or in several cases more positive—attitudes towards mathematics and science.