Change in Children's Competence Beliefs and Subjective Task Values Across the Elementary School Years A 3-Year Study

• Published in: Journal of educational psychology Vol. 89; no. 3; pp. 451 - 469
• Main Authors: Wigfield, Allan, Eccles, Jacquelynne S, Yoon, Kwang Suk, Harold, Rena D, Arbreton, Amy J. A, Freedman-Doan, Carol, Blumenfeld, Phyllis C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-09-1997; American Psychological Association, etc
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Age Differences; Athletics; Attitude Change; Beliefs; Biological and medical sciences; Competence; Curriculum; Education; Educational psychology; Elementary Education; Elementary School Students; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Human Sex Differences; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mathematics; Mathematics Education; Middle Class; Music; Music Education; Physical Education; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure; Reading; Reading Education; Self-Perception; Sex Differences; Student Attitudes; Values; Whites; Human; School age; Follow up study; Value; Self perception; Personality; Self concept; Elementary education; Child; Academic ability; Preadolescent
• ISSN: 0022-0663; 1939-2176
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-0663.89.3.451

The authors assessed change over 3 years in elementary school children's competence beliefs and subjective task value in the domains of math, reading, instrumental music, and sports. The longitudinal sample consisted of approximately 615 mostly White, lower middle to middle-class children. Stability correlations indicated moderate to strong stability in children's beliefs, especially older children's competence beliefs. The relation of children's ratings of their competence in each domain to estimates of their competence in those domains provided by both parents and teachers increased over the early elementary grades. Children's competence beliefs and ratings of the usefulness and importance of each activity decreased over time. Children's interest in reading and instrumental music decreased, but their interest in sports and math did not. Gender differences in children's competence beliefs and subjective task values did not change over time.