The moderation of culture dimensions on the relationships between expectancy-value factors and reading achievement

The expectancy-value theory (EVT) explains the relationship between reading achievement and expectancy-value factors (i.e., self-concept and task value). As an extension of EVT, the situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT) emphasizes the influence of situational context. Adopting a multi-level modeling approach and drawing on Hofstede's (2011) Cultural Dimensions Theory, we investigated the relationship between SEVT factors (i.e., reading enjoyment and self-concept) and reading achievement using the PISA 2018 dataset. We focused on the moderation effects of six cultural dimensions (e.g., collectivism-individualism) on the relationship between reading enjoyment, self-concept, and reading achievement, along with socioeconomics factors (i.e., country income inequality, country affluence) as country-level covariates. Our findings confirm that (1) there is a positive relationship between the expectancy-value factors and reading achievement and (2) reading self-concept but not enjoyment is a stronger predictor of reading achievement in countries that highly value individualism, egalitarianism, and short-term orientation. Besides, reading enjoyment is more strongly linked to reading achievement in wealthy countries.

Educational relevance statement

The findings of this study have important implications for teaching and educational policy-making. Since self-concept and enjoyment strongly correlate with reading achievement, the intervention in students' reading enjoyment and self-concept should be an important consideration in reading classes. In addition, the strength of the association between expectancy-value factors and reading achievement depends on the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics. While it is difficult to change a country's cultural norms and socioeconomic situation fundamentally, reforms can be made to create a school and family environment that affords the motivation “seeds” to grow. Particularly, policymakers need to consider how to promote egalitarianism, respect personal goal pursuit and autonomy, emphasize both long-term and short-term goals during teaching and learning. Finally, in developing countries, boosting education investment can provide additional resources to foster the literacy development of students with a passion for reading, ultimately enhancing their reading achievement.