The moderation of culture dimensions on the relationships between expectancy-value factors and reading achievement

Abstract

The expectancy-value theory (EVT) explains the relationship between reading achievement and expectancy-value factors (i.e., self-concept and task value). As an extension of EVT, the situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT) emphasizes the influence of situational context. Adopting a multi-level modeling approach and drawing on Hofstede's (2011) Cultural Dimensions Theory, we investigated the relationship between SEVT factors (i.e., reading enjoyment and self-concept) and reading achievement using the PISA 2018 dataset. We focused on the moderation effects of six cultural dimensions (e.g., collectivism-individualism) on the relationship between reading enjoyment, self-concept, and reading achievement, along with socioeconomics factors (i.e., country income inequality, country affluence) as country-level covariates. Our findings confirm that (1) there is a positive relationship between the expectancy-value factors and reading achievement and (2) reading self-concept but not enjoyment is a stronger predictor of reading achievement in countries that highly value individualism, egalitarianism, and short-term orientation. Besides, reading enjoyment is more strongly linked to reading achievement in wealthy countries. Educational relevance statementThe findings of this study have important implications for teaching and educational policy-making. Since self-concept and enjoyment strongly correlate with reading achievement, the intervention in students' reading enjoyment and self-concept should be an important consideration in reading classes. In addition, the strength of the association between expectancy-value factors and reading achievement depends on the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics. While it is difficult to change a country's cultural norms and socioeconomic situation fundamentally, reforms can be made to create a school and family environment that affords the motivation “seeds” to grow. Particularly, policymakers need to consider how to promote egalitarianism, respect personal goal pursuit and autonomy, emphasize both long-term and short-term goals during teaching and learning. Finally, in developing countries, boosting education investment can provide additional resources to foster the literacy development of students with a passion for reading, ultimately enhancing their reading achievement.