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Understanding Chinese Students’ Achievement Patterns: Perspectives from Social-Oriented Achievement Motivation

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The Psychology of Asian Learners

Abstract

Many researchers raised the limitations of the applicability of motivational theories across cultures with the absolutist approach based on the individualistic perspective. This chapter gives a brief review of research adopting the relativist approach which is directed to universalist approach in studying motivational processes among Asian and Chinese students from the social-oriented perspective. Why would Asian Chinese and Chinese students on average show better academic performance but report more negative emotions and test anxiety than other ethnic groups and their Western counterparts? It is argued that the social-oriented achievement motivation (SOAM) model provides a theoretical framework in understanding and explaining the achievement patterns among Chinese students based on the meaning system approach. SOAM endorsement is linked to viewing academic achievement as an obligation to fulfill. The SOAM model depicts distinctive patterns of cognition (parental influences and achievement goals adoptions), affect (agitated emotions facing setbacks and test anxiety), behaviors (learning approaches and strategies, time and effort in studying), and academic outcomes (actual examination performance) in academic achievement settings among Chinese students (after controlling for individual-oriented achievement motivation, IOAM). The role of the SOAM system in broadening the understanding of basic human motivation (need for relatedness and autonomy) and learning motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) is also addressed and discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, P.R. China

    Vivienne Y. K. Tao

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  1. Vivienne Y. K. Tao
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Correspondence to Vivienne Y. K. Tao .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Ronnel B. King

  2. Department of Psychology Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China

    Allan B. I. Bernardo

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Tao, V.Y.K. (2016). Understanding Chinese Students’ Achievement Patterns: Perspectives from Social-Oriented Achievement Motivation. In: King, R., Bernardo, A. (eds) The Psychology of Asian Learners. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-576-1_38

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-576-1_38

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