By Monte Morin, Los Angeles Times
A growing achievement gap between Asian American students and their white classmates is due largely to greater work effort and cultural attitudes, not innate cognitive ability, researchers say.
A study published Monday in the journal PNAS looked at the academic achievement gap between Asian American and white students. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press)
In a study published Monday in the journal PNAS, two sociology professors found that Asian Americans enter school with no clear academic edge over whites, but that an advantage grows over time.
Even if they come from poorer, less educated families, Asian Americans significantly outperform white students by fifth grade, authors wrote.
“What accounts for Asians’ greater academic effort than whites?” asked study authors Amy Hsin of Queens College in New York and Yu Xie of the University of Michigan.
“Asian and Asian American youth are harder working because of cultural beliefs that emphasize the strong connection between effort and achievement,” the authors wrote. “Studies show that Asian and Asian American students tend to view cognitive abilities as qualities that can be developed through effort, whereas white Americans tend to view cognitive abilities as qualities that are inborn.”
However, the study authors say the high performance of Asian American students comes at a cost.
“Studies show that Asian American youth are less psychologically adjusted and socially engaged in school than their white peers. They may experience more conflict in relationships with parents because of the high educational expectations their parents place on them,” authors wrote.
The researchers based their conclusions on a review of standardized test scores, teacher evaluations, immigration status, socio-demographic factors and grade point average.
The information included two national longitudinal studies. One of them followed 1,368 white and 244 Asian students from kindergarten through eighth grade, while the other followed 2,787 white and 745 Asian high school sophomores for two years.
Prior studies have found that Asian Americans get higher grades and score higher on standardized test scores when compared to white students. They are also more likely to finish high school and attend college.
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