Research on Asian students’ motivation: themes and issues

Abstract

The study of Asian students’ achievement motivation has been of great interest to researchers since the 90’s. Two factors have contributed to the proliferation of research in this area. On the one hand, the outstanding academic performance of certain groups of Asian students, despite their apparently less favorable learning conditions, has aroused interest in investigating the characteristics of learning and teaching in Asian contexts as well as the factors behind their success. On the other hand, psychological research has increasingly emphasized person-environment interactions as determinants of human behavior, accompanied by an increased interest in cross-cultural studies where theories originated in Western contexts are examined in other cultures. Studies of this kind often help to refine and expand existing theories. This paper begins by highlighting the outstanding educational performance of specific Asian groups sharing the Confucian cultural heritage. Major themes associated with this cultural context, including collectivism, the virtue orientation in learning and the high regard for educational achievement, are briefly discussed to provide a background for understanding research findings in this area. Studies and issues related to the examination of achievement goals, beliefs and interests as well as intrinsic motivation are described. Useful insights generated from these studies include the complexity of cultural differentiation, the effects of acculturation, the need for more refined instrumentation and research design, as well as the benefits of including a wider range of motivation-related constructs and outcome measures in future studies. Despite mixed findings and methodological problems associated with cross-cultural research, previous studies have largely shown that students in the Asian-Confucian cultural context display motivational characteristics that are different from those of their Western counterparts. However, much research is needed to provide more accurate delineations of and explanations for these divergent patterns.