Chemistry Motivation and Achievement at the Intersection of Gender and Ethnicity

Abstract

In the United States, the STEM workforce faces a diversity problem. Women and people of color remain underrepresented in STEM education and careers (National Science Board, 2018). A possible reason for continued underrepresentation in STEM is student motivation. The current study explores the following two questions: First, how do motivation and achievement in chemistry differ across gender and ethnicity? Second, do gender and ethnicity moderate the links between students? motivation in chemistry and their subsequent achievement in an introductory chemistry course? The current study examines four components of student motivation - perceived competence, interest, attainment value, and utility value - in an introductory chemistry course at a four-year, public university. Participants include n = 200 undergraduate students (50.5% women; 29.5% underrepresented minority students). Results revealed a pattern of gender and ethnic group similarities in student achievement in the course. However, men reported greater perceived competence, but lower utility value for chemistry than women. By contrast, ethnic groups did not differ in chemistry motivation. Motivation predicted achievement in the chemistry course, and this link was not moderated by gender and ethnicity. The current study highlights a need for interventions to boost women'sperceived competence in chemistry.