Valuing STEM majors: The Role of Occupational-Academic Ego-Identity Status and Task Values in STEM Persistence

Abstract

Students who initially choose STEM majors frequently switch to non-STEM majors. Additionally, there are national concerns over the paucity of homegrown scientists, and college is a potentially critical period when many potential scientists are lost. The aim of this study was to examine, over the course of a semester, the role of identity formation and motivation in students' intent to leave a STEM major. Participants included 363 diverse undergraduate science students enrolled in chemistry II. Measures of achieved ego-identity status, competency beliefs, task values, perceived costs, interest, self-efficacy, chemistry II grades, and intent to leave a STEM major were given over four waves of data collection. Regression analysis and cross-lagged path analysis were the primary analytical methods. Results revealed that achieved ego-identity status significantly predicted competency beliefs, values/interest, and effort costs; however, achieved ego-identity status was not related to opportunity or psychological costs. Competency beliefs of the major was a significant predictor of chemistry II grades, and values and effort cost were significant predictors of intent to leave STEM. Opportunity cost was only significantly related to intent to leave STEM at the end of the semester and psychological cost was not significantly related to students' intent to leave STEM. These results provide evidence for theorized relationships between identity formation, competency beliefs, task values, and perceived costs. Furthermore, perceived cost was demonstrated to be a multi-dimensional construct with important implications for students' intent to leave STEM.