IN THE MIND OF THE ACTOR - THE STRUCTURE OF ADOLESCENTS ACHIEVEMENT TASK VALUES AND EXPECTANCY-RELATED BELIEFS

The authors assessed the dimensionality of and relations between adole scents' achievement-related beliefs and self-perceptions, focusing on subjective valuing of achievement. Beliefs derived from expectancy-val ue theory (adolescents' valuing of achievement activities, expectancie s for success and ability perceptions, and perceptions of task difficu lty) were assessed. Adolescents completed questionnaires once a year f or 2 years. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that achievement-re lated beliefs separate into three task values factors (interest, perce ived importance, and perceived utility), one expectancy/ability factor (comprising beliefs about one's competence, expectancies for success, and performance perceptions), and two task difficulty factors (percep tions of difficulty and perceptions of effort required to do well). Ta sk values and ability perceptions factors were positively related to e ach other and negatively correlated to perceptions of task difficulty.