A Preliminary Look at Gender and Cultural Differences in Achievement Goals

Abstract

Korean middle school students' achievement goals,

self-efficacy, and help-seeking avoidance in math were

compared to those of U.S. students. Korean students

demonstrated significantly stronger performance-approach

goals compared to European American students. Math

self-efficacy beliefs of Korean students were significantly

weaker than those of European American and African

American students. Whereas performance-approach and

performance-avoidance goals of European American

students were not significantly couelated, those of Korean

and African American students were. in particular,

performance-approach goals conelated positively with

mastery goals and self-efficacy for Korean students.

Findings were more consistent with the predictions

generated hom the learning environment research than the

individualism-collectivism contrasts. The results suggest

that each goal may function differently across cultures.