The social contagion of utility value: How parents’ beliefs about the usefulness of science predict their children’s motivation and achievement

Ma Jenina Nalipay NALIPAY, Yuyang CAI, Ronnel Bornasal KING

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether parents’ utility value perceptions predicted their children’s utility value perceptions, demonstrating social contagion effects. We also examined whether utility value would predict achievement. This is a cross-sectional study that utilized data from a subsample of adolescent students from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA 2015), which focused on science learning and achievement from 18 regions. We performed multi-level structural equation modeling to analyze the data. Results revealed that parents’ utility value perceptions predicted students’ utility value perceptions, which, in turn, predicted science achievement. The findings of this study provide evidence of the social contagion of utility value perceptions from parents to their children and the critical role of utility value in predicting achievement across various regions/countries. Our study highlights the crucial role parents play in adolescents’ motivational and learning outcomes and suggest parental involvement in programs toward enhancing adolescents’ motivation and achievement. Copyright © 2021 The Author(s).
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)221-237
JournalSchool Psychology International
Volume42
Issue number3
Early online date26 Jan 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Jun 2021

Citation

Nalipay, M. J. N., Cai, Y., & King, R. B. (2021). The social contagion of utility value: How parents’ beliefs about the usefulness of science predict their children’s motivation and achievement. School Psychology International, 42(3), 221-237. doi: 10.1177/0143034320985200

Keywords

  • Expectancy-value theory
  • Utility value
  • Social contagion
  • Achievement

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