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Cultural Insights: The Motivation Paradox of East Asian Learners

Sat, April 11, 7:45 to 9:15am PDT (7:45 to 9:15am PDT), Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Level 2, Beverly

Abstract

Objectives. Motivation is deeply influenced by cultural and contextual factors, making it challenging to identify truly universal processes. Yet, existing theories often assume universality and, for this reason, Western-based models frequently fall short of explaining how learners from different cultures interpret and respond to similar achievement experiences. This paper presents a theoretical account of why East Asian learners’ motivation and behavioral patterns sometimes diverge from well-established predictions.

Theoretical Framework. We borrowed Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, cited in Neal & Neal, 2013) ecological systems theory, positioning collectivism and Confucianism as macrosystemic forces shaping educational values in East Asian cultures. These cultural foundations influence the exosystem (e.g., societal views toward education), the microsystem (e.g., family, school), and mesosystem interactions (e.g., parent-teacher relations). Together, they foster interdependent self-construal, self-discipline, and achievement-oriented attitudes in learners. We focus on historical and philosophical traditions, school systems, and parenting practices that shape the internalized values and norms in East Asian cultures that impact the achievement motivation and behaviors of East Asian learners.

Modes of Inquiry. Through conceptual analysis, we investigate three paradoxical patterns observed among East Asian students: (a) choices made by others sometimes yield better outcomes than self-made choices; (b) avoidance motivation correlates with higher, not lower, performance; and (c) high academic achievement is often accompanied by low self-confidence.

Data Sources. To explain the above phenomena, we integrate theories on collectivism-individualism (Triandis, 1993), interdependent self-construal (Markus & Kitayama, 1991), holistic thinking (Nisbett et al., 2001), and low self-enhancement motivation among East Asians (Heine, 2004). We also incorporate indigenous literature on Confucian perspectives, which regard academic achievement as a reflection of self-criticism, a societal duty, and the fulfillment of one’s role responsibilities.

Substantiated Conclusions. East Asian learners may experience better outcomes from others’ decisions because they view such choices as reinforcing interdependence and shared control (Bao & Lam, 2008; Yamaguchi, 2001). Moreover, avoidance motivation can be adaptive because avoiding failure becomes just as crucial as striving for success in the East Asian context, where failure is less tolerated. Students strive to achieve because success symbolizes self-cultivation, moral integrity, and a sense of group responsibility (King, 2016; Park & Kim, 2006; Sorensen, 1994). Finally, East Asian learners often exhibit low self-confidence despite their academic excellence because they prioritize fitting in over standing out (Yamaguchi & Sawaumi, 2019), along with a preference for upward, rather than downward, social comparisons (White & Lehman, 2005) that foster a mindset centered on personal growth.

Scholarly Significance. As early as the 1970s, Maehr (1974) highlighted the significance of culture by stating that achievement motivation, while often conceptualized as a universal construct, may be elicited and expressed differently across cultures. By exemplifying where and why existing motivation theories cannot accurately account for the motivation of East Asian learners, this paper illustrates how the core assumptions of Western motivation theories, grounded in the experience of historically dominant groups, may not be universally applicable across diverse cultural contexts. We conclude by urging researchers to reconsider universal claims and incorporate cultural variations into motivation theory and research.

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