Chapter 10: Expectancy-Value Theory Revisited: From Expectancy-Value Theory to Expectancy-ValueS Theory?

For more than half a century, expectancy-value models of achievement motivation (Atkinson, 1957; Eccles, Adler, & Meece, 1984; Eccles et al., 1983; for reviews, see Eccles & Wigfield, 2002; Feather, 1959; Wigfield & Eccles, 2000) have been very prominent approaches in educational psychology seeking to explain effort, choice, and achievement-related behavior. One of the most influential current expectancy-value models was introduced by Eccles (e.g., Eccles et al., 1983; Wigfield & Eccles, 2000). Among its basic tenets is the differentiation between attainment value, intrinsic value, utility value, and cost as the four value components, but few studies using expectancy-value theory (EVT) as a theoretical basis included all four value components.