Testing the generalizability of the multiplicative effects of expectancy and value across different ages, genders, and races

This research examines how the multiplicative effect of expectancy and value on achievement-related outcomes differ based on students' individual differences, including age, race, and gender. We analyzed longitudinal data from 10th-grade students (Study 1: n ≈ 10,700) and 3rd-grade students (Study 2: n ≈ 9680) who identified as Black or White. The results indicate that expectancy and value synergistically predict later achievement in adolescents, but not in children. We did not find evidence of different effects based on race or gender. Our findings tentatively indicate that expectancy beliefs closely aligned with their relative achievement levels, along with a clear understanding of value, could enhance the synergistic effects of expectancy and value. The findings challenge the universality of the multiplicative model of expectancy-value theory across different populations and contexts.

Educational relevance and implications statement

The multiplicative model of expectancy and value suggests that when people believe they can succeed (expectancy) and find meaning in a task (value), their achievement gains a boost that surpasses the combined gains from high expectancy and high value considered separately. The current study reveals a synergistic effect, indicating that the combined influence is greater than the individual effects when considered separately, specifically in adolescent students, but not in younger children. These findings imply that the multiplicative model of expectancy-value theory may not apply universally.