The intersection between self-concepts and values: Links between beliefs and choices in high school

Abstract

This chapter addresses how critical choices in the math and science pipeline can be traced back to adolescents' self‐concepts of abilities and values at the beginning of high school.

Students’ Changing Attitudes and Aspirations Towards Physics During Secondary School

“…In the USA, various studies of secondary school students have considered students' attitudes and beliefs (often focusing on their confidence/expectations, interest value and utility value from the expectancy-value model) and have identified distinct clusters of students, each with broadly proportionate attitudes and beliefs, such as these being generally high, moderate or low in magnitude (Andersen and Chen 2016;Andersen and Cross 2014;Chow et al 2012;Conley 2012;Simpkins and Davis-Kean 2005). When further characteristics of students have been considered, boys have been more likely to be classified into clusters with generally high beliefs, while girls have been more likely to be classified into clusters with generally low beliefs (Chow et al 2012;Simpkins and Davis-Kean 2005).…”

“…When further characteristics of students have been considered, boys have been more likely to be classified into clusters with generally high beliefs, while girls have been more likely to be classified into clusters with generally low beliefs (Chow et al 2012;Simpkins and Davis-Kean 2005). When students' intentions or choices were also considered, students in clusters with consistently high beliefs were associated with studying more science and mathematics courses (Simpkins and Davis-Kean 2005) and associated with higher aspirations towards science careers (Chow et al 2012). Essentially, holding high confidence/expectations and also high subjective values (interest value and utility value) associated with higher science intentions compared to other naturally emerging combinations (Simpkins and Davis-Kean 2005).…”

The mathematics self-efficacy of rural central Appalachian undergraduate females.

“…Thirteen of the 22 students (59.1 percent) in the positive mathematics attitude category indicated majors in the healthcare field. This finding is consistent with the findings of Simpkins and Davis-Kean (2005) who found that females were more likely to pursue health-related careers than mathematics or science careers.…”

“…In 2006, only 15 percent of female freshmen planned to study in a STEM field, while 29 percent of male freshmen declared a STEM field as a major (Hill et al, 2010). Simpkins and Davis-Kean (2005) found that males were more likely than females to report that they planned to pursue mathematics or science careers, and females were more likely to report that they planned to pursue a career in a health-related occupation.…”

Yes we can achieve in mathematics and why we don't : African American female eleventh and twelfth grade students in a career and technical setting.

“…Tyson, Lee, Borman, and Hanson (2007) analysis of STEM research, for example, indicates that " [t]raditionally, White and Asian men have filled STEM occupations, but many women and Black and Hispanic students forgo pathways toward STEM careers" (p. 248). Similarly, Simpkins and Davis-Kean (2005) studied 180 youth (54 percent female) and questioned them about their future career aspirations. They found that "females were more likely than males to want to pursue a career in the area of health and less likely to pursue a career in math-science" (p. 45).…”