Longitudinal Analysis of Academic Motivation: Examining the Antecedent Roles of Perceived Discrimination and Stereotype Threat Among African American STEM Majors

Structural and social-psychological factors, including race-related stressors such as discrimination and stereotype threat, contribute to the underrepresentation of African American college students in STEM by thwarting students’ motivation and serving as push-out factors. Academic burnout and low momentum-state inertia (LMSI) are two forms of motivation that may develop in response to perceived discrimination and stereotype threat. The present study examined the growth trajectories of burnout and LMSI as a function of race-related stressors using the integrated process and motivational experiences models as guiding theoretical frameworks. Longitudinal data were collected from 500 African American students majoring in STEM disciplines at an Historically Black College/University (HBCU) and a predominantly White institution (PWI). Results of unconditional latent growth curve analyses showed that both academic burnout and LMSI increased over time. Results of conditional latent growth curve analyses revealed that perceived discrimination was not significantly associated with increases in burnout or LMSI. Stereotype threat was instead associated with higher academic burnout and LMSI initially, but decreasing burnout and LMSI over time.