This project will examine the degree to which the socialization practices of Asian American parents foster motivational and attitudinal tendencies that contribute to high achievement in mathematics and science in their children. In five studies, spanning grades 2-12, Asians are directly contrasted with caucasians in similar environments on background, attitudes, and achievement, with due attention to socioeconomic and immigration related influences. The researchers have previously developed questionnaires to measure both home rearing experiences and naive theories of education. Predicted findings are that by mid-childhood Asians will demonstrate precociousness for realism of self-evaluation and awareness of their ability as compared to their peers. In the pubertal period the prediction is that Asians will show a greater prevalence of adaptive beliefs and a lower incidence of helplessness. In adolescence the prediction is that as a concomitance of attributional differences there is a more mature pattern of time perspective, sensation seeking, and the perception of tasks as contingent for success. Throughout the project objective indices of achievement will be used to evaluate how much of within group variance is accounted for by the sociological constructs. In making recommendations the investigators will be sensitive to the need to neither homogenize descriptions of Asians nor overlook negative costs of socialization such as incidence of adolescent anxiety and depression. A hope of this project, in view of the underachievement in American schools in technologically relevant education, is to identify a set of child rearing practices which will help every child make the most of educational resources. These child rearing practices should be adaptable by individual parents and worthy of attention by community leaders among the disadvantaged. The ultimate aim of the project is to suggest a foundation for intervention in the social situations which produce failure.
