Bridging the gap between students' values and classroom behaviour: the moderating role of self-determined motivation

Educators strive to instil values in students, as these personal principles are believed to guide children's behaviour. However, research indicates the link between values and behaviour is weaker than anticipated. This study integrated Schwartz's Theory of Basic Personal Values and Self-Determination Theory to explore whether the relationship between students' values and their corresponding classroom behaviours is moderated by the type of motivation driving these behaviours. A sample of 562 fifth-grade students reported their values and motivation for value-congruent behaviours, and homeroom teachers assessed students' classroom behaviours. The results revealed that while students' values were not uniformly related to value-congruent behaviours, autonomous motivation had a positive effect across all behaviour types, whereas controlled motivation had a negative or no effect. Finally, autonomous motivation moderated the relationship between self-transcendence values and supportive behaviour, and between conservation values and disciplined behaviour, underscoring its crucial role in translating values into behaviours in educational settings.