‘Feeling bad’ or ‘being bad?’ The trapping effect of effort in academic failure in a Confucian cultural context

Abstract

a center for teacher Education, national taiwan university, taipei, taiwan, R.o.c; b institute of learning sciences, national tsing hua university, hsinchu, taiwan, R.o.c; c department of Psychology and counseling, university of taipei, taipei, taiwan, R.o.c

The Mediating Role of Self-Exertion on the Effects of Effort on Learning Virtues and Emotional Distress in Academic Failure in a Confucian Context

“…Given the high value of academic achievement in these societies, academic failure tends to be a serious blow to students and cause severe emotional distress. Previous studies have found that effortful Asian students tend to be trapped in a dilemma of enjoying a positive moral image while suffering from emotional distress from academic failure (Fwu et al, 2016b). Despite the positive image, they are often distraught with negative emotions, including loss of face, shame, guilt, anxiety, and depression (Matsumoto, 1991; Mortenson, 2006; Lei, 2009; Tao and Hong, 2014).…”

“…Individuals are usually under great pressure to compete with their peers to excel and have little choice but to climb higher and higher up the “achievement pyramid” by getting good grades, going to top schools, getting high-paying jobs, acquiring high status and fame, and so on. Individuals are obligated to fulfill their role as filial children to pursue such goals to satisfy parental expectations (Tseng, 2004; Chen et al, 2009; Hwang, 2012; Huang et al, 2015; Fwu et al, 2016a,b). Those who fail to pursue vertical goals tend to feel that they have failed their obligation to their parents.…”

“…Those who fail to pursue vertical goals tend to feel that they have failed their obligation to their parents. In many East Asian countries, academic achievement is often viewed as a vertical goal for students (King and McInerney, 2014; Tao and Hong, 2014; Fwu et al, 2016a,b). Empirical studies have shown that Taiwanese students perceive a significant difference between academic (vertical) and non-academic (personal) goals.…”

“…Empirical studies have shown that Taiwanese students perceive a significant difference between academic (vertical) and non-academic (personal) goals. For them, the pursuit of academic achievement is characterized by a stronger sense of role obligation, higher parental expectations, greater social importance, and less personal choice than non-academic pursuits such as hobbies and sports (Fwu et al, 2016a,b). Major achievement motivation theories developed in the West may have overlooked such the culturally unique characteristics of vertical goals, and this may be the reason why the learning performances and behaviors of some East Asian students could not be fully understood.…”

“…Previous studies indicated that the more effort one expends, the more virtuous qualities, such as diligence and responsibility, one may possess (Fwu et al, 2014, 2016a,b). We hypothesize that effort positively predicts learning virtues (H3).…”