This dissertation examined the extent to which pre-high school students' motivation-related perceptions of their science class affected their science identification, which sequentially affected their future science-related career goals. The MUSIC® Model of Motivation (Jones, 2009, 2018) includes five components (i.e., eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success, Interest, and Caring) and is designed to help teachers design instruction to promote students' motivation. Domain identification (Osborne and Jones, 2011) is a concept closely related to students' motivation and academic outcomes. In this study, data was collected from 311 pre-high school students and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted to test the structure pattern among the MUSIC model components, science identification, and science-related career goals. Results indicate that with three of the MUSIC model components (i.e., usefulness, success, and interest) significantly related to students' science identification, students' science identification was highly correlated to their science career goals. Moreover, this study demonstrated the structure patterns among the MUSIC model components and science identification varied by gender by conducting multi-group SEM analyses for a separate female sample (N = 161) and male sample (N = 150). Consistently, students' science identification was a strong predictor of their science career goals in both female and male groups. These findings are important for STEM educators because they indicate that it may be possible for teachers to impact students' science identification and career goals by focusing on students' perceptions of the MUSIC model components in science class. Moreover, these results contribute to the study of the large gender gap in STEM careers. Teachers can focus on specific teaching strategies and help female students develop their science identification in ways that lead to their long-term science-related career goals. / Ph. D. / This dissertation examined the extent to which pre-high school students’ motivation-related perceptions of their science class affected their science identification, which sequentially affected their future science-related career goals. Science identification is a concept that describes the extent to which a student values science as an important part of his or her self (Osborne & Jones, 2011). One goal of this study examined how students’ perceptions of their science class affected students’ science identification. Specifically, this study focused on students’ perceptions of the five components of the MUSIC® Model of Motivation (Jones, 2009, 2018): eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success, Interest, and Caring. The MUSIC model was developed to help teachers design instruction to promote students’ motivation. In this study, results indicate that with three of the MUSIC model components (i.e., usefulness, success, and interest) significantly related to students’ science identification, students’ science identification was highly correlated to their science career goals. Moreover, this study reveals that the structure patterns among the MUSIC model components and science identification varied by gender. Consistently, students’ science identification was a strong predictor of their science career goals in both female and male groups. These findings are important for STEM educators because they indicate that it may be possible for teachers to impact students’ science identification and career goals by focusing on students’ perceptions of the MUSIC model components in science class. Moreover, these results contribute to the study of the large gender gap in STEM careers, in which females are underrepresented. Teachers can focus on specific teaching strategies and help female students develop their science identification in ways that lead to their long-term science-related career goals.

The current research aims to integrate previous research on the host of negative consequences associated with women’s experience of stereotype threat in a science context. Using an expectancy-value framework, the current research explores potential indirect effects of a communal goal affordance intervention on science motivation, via stereotype threat, state anxiety, communal goal affordances, and belonging in science. Building upon the previous literature, the current research attempts to link stereotype threat to science motivation via communal goal affordances and state anxiety’s effect on belonging in science. Additionally, the current research attempts to illustrate the efficacy of a communal goal affordance intervention by increasing perceptions of communal goal affordances and reducing anxiety in a science context. The current study found no evidence of a successful implementation of the communal goal affordance intervention, as evident by non-significant results on parametric and non-parametric tests of central tendencies between interaction type. Additionally, no indirect effects on science motivation were discovered within either tested pathway. However, a significant positive relationship between stereotype threat and state anxiety, communal goal affordances and belonging in science, and belonging in science and science motivation were found. Limitations to the current study and the communal goal affordance intervention, as well as the implications for these findings and future directions for research are discussed.