| Research examining ethnic identity and achievement motivation has been focused primarily on Black and Hispanic high school students. Researchers have found that these students view academic achievement as "acting white" and a violation of their ethnic identity. Consequently, many of these youths choose to underachieve (Fordham & Ogbu, 1986; Matute-Bianchi, 1986).;In contrast, some studies suggest that Asian Americans experience no conflict between academic achievement and ethnic identity (Matute-Bianchi, 1986; Mordkowitz & Ginsburg, 1987; Ogbu, 1983). But anecdotal evidence indicates that some Asian American students experience much discord between academic achievement and emerging ethnic identity (Bagasao, 1989b; Bangchongmanie, 1990; Toupin & Son, in press).;The hypothesis that ethnic identity and achievement motivation have a complex interaction in Asian Americans is supported by research that indicate attributions about self and culture underlie both. The achievement motivation literature reveals that cultural values contribute to high academic achievement (Hess, Chih-Meh, & McDevitt, 1987; Ryckman & Mizokawa, 1988; Stevenson, 1987). The ethnic identity literature indicates that ethnic identity development is based on attributions about self, ethnic culture, and majority culture (Atkinson, Morten, & Sue, 1979; Chen, 1989; Sue, 1989). Since both achievement motivation and ethnic identity rely on attributions about self and culture, the central question emerges: do the two interact, and if so how? This study poses four research questions: (1) Can a relationship between ethnic identity and achievement motivation variables be established for Asian American college students? (2) Can different ethnic identity and achievement motivation variables be used to predict academic performance? (3) Can different ethnic identity and achievement motivation variables be used to predict self-concept? (4) Are there gender and ethnic differences between separate Asian American ethnicities in the areas of ethnic identity orientation, achievement motivation, and self-concept?;A total of 118 Chinese American and Filipino American university students were given a battery of six questionnaires encompassing ethnic identity, acculturation, achievement motivation, self-concept, and demographics. The results indicated that a complex relationship between ethnic identity and achievement motivation did exist. This relationship was successful in predicting self-concept and academic expectancy. In addition, gender and ethnic differences were found. Implications for research, education, and counseling are provided. |
