Expectancy Value Theory and Racial Opportunity Cost: Racializing Values in Motivation Theory

Expectancy value theory (EVT) of motivation is used to better understand student cognitive processes and achievement. The theory has expanded to be more inclusive of various motivational experiences since its origin in 1964 by Atkinson. However, the work can be further expanded to examine how EVT can better predict achievement for underrepresented students. Racial opportunity cost (ROC; Chambers et al., 2014) has similarities that overlap with EVT, but uses constructs having to do with racism to define the student experience. In this conceptual paper, I used those same constructs to redefine the four value types of EVT. This exposes the gap in theory by using constructs from ROC to nuance values so they can be applied directly to the educational experience of underrepresented and urban students. This paper shows that racializing the motivational experience of underrepresented students is complex and influences all elements within the EVT model.