Control-Value Theory of Academic Emotions : How Classroom and Individual Factors Shape Students Affect

Abstract

In the current paper, we use control-value theory, which assumes that control-related and value-related appraisals are of primary importance for students emotions, as a framework for exploring the role of gender and scholastic achievement in students emotional development. In doing so, we assume that individual gender and achievement shape students academic appraisals and emotions. However, we also assume that this process is not independent of the classroom context in which it occurs. Specifically, we hypothesized that the gender composition of the classroom and the average achievement level of the classroom affect students experiences of success and failure, their appraisals, and their emotions as well.We used data from the first two waves of a longitudinal study on students development in mathematics to test our assumptions (grades 5 to 6, N = 1,606 students from 73 classrooms; 53.2% female students). Mathematics-related emotions were assessed by the Academic Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ; Pekrun, Goetz, Titz, & Perry, 2002), and achievement by a standardized mathematics test. Findings of hierarchical linear modeling imply that both individual and classroom level variables significantly influenced the development of students emotions. For example, findings showed that boys experienced a more positive emotional development in mathematics than girls, whereas the gender composition of the classroom had the opposite effect (less positive emotional development in classrooms with a high percentage of boys). Furthermore, individual achievement had positive effects, and classroom level achievement negative effects, on the development of enjoyment and pride in mathematics. The reverse pattern of effects was found for anxiety, shame, and hopelessness. These findings are largely in line with assumptions derived from control-value theory.