Interaction between task values and self-efficacy on maladaptive achievement strategy use

Abstract

We tested the interaction between task value and self-efficacy on defensive pessimism, academic cheating, procrastination and self-handicapping among 574 Korean 11th graders in the context of English as a foreign language. We hypothesised that perceiving high value in tasks or domains for which self-efficacy was low would pose a threat to perceived self-worth, leading students to resort to various maladaptive achievement strategies. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that, consistent with our hypothesis, the relationships of task value with academic cheating and procrastination depended on the level of self-efficacy. Perceiving high intrinsic value positively predicted academic cheating for students with low self-efficacy but not for students with high self-efficacy. Likewise, perceiving intrinsic or utility value positively predicted procrastination for students with low self-efficacy but not for students with high self-efficacy. Our findings support the major tenets of self-worth theory.

Keywords:

• expectancy-value theory
• self-efficacy
• self-worth
• defensive strategies
• maladaptive strategies

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the WCU (World Class University) Program funded by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, consigned to the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (Grant No. R32-2008-000-20023-0).