Culture, Goal Orientations, and Mathematics Achievement among Chinese Students

This study examined the relationships among cultural values, goal orientations, and mathematics achievement in mainland China. Structural equation models were used to analyze data on 350 Grade 5 students. The results showed that mathematics achievement was positively related to family-support and mastery goal orientations and negatively related to performance-avoidance goal orientation; that family recognition through achievement positively predicted mastery, performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and family-support goal orientations; that conformity to norms was positively linked to mastery, performance-approach, and family-support goal orientations; and that collectivism had a positive association with the adoption of family-support goal orientation, whereas emotional self-control positively predicted performance-avoidance goal orientation. Results of bootstrap analysis further confirmed the mediation role of goal orientation in the relationships between cultural values and mathematics achievement with positive indirect paths via family-support and mastery orientations but negative indirect paths via performance-avoidance orientation. Possible explanations of the results are discussed.