Academic expectations and intercultural stereotypes: a study of Chinese and European New Zealanders

Abstract

The study examines Chinese and European students' descriptions of the academic expectations of their parents, their community and themselves. The study also examines each group's descriptions of their own and the other group. One hundred and fifty-nine Chinese and one hundred and fifty-nine European secondary school students from 3rd, 4th and 5th forms were the subjects of the study. They completed a booklet containing three perceived expectation questionnaires and two ethnic descriptions questionnaires. The study showed that Chinese students see themselves as having significantly greater parental pressure to succeed academically than their European counterparts. Furthermore they also reported significantly higher expectations for themselves than the European students. These differences in the responses of the two groups were attributed to cultural differences in childrearing, with Chinese childrearing techniques apparently extremely effective in maintaining social control. Cultural norms and values were seen as a major influence on the Chinese students' attitudes towards educational attainment. Response to the Ethnic Description Questionnaires showed that the Chinese see themselves more positively than they see the Europeans. They are seen by both themselves and by the Europeans as possessing mainly Protestant Ethic traits. The Chinese, however, see the Europeans as possessing only social traits. In contrast the Europeans see themselves more positively, they not only see themselves as having social traits but also some Protestant Ethic traits as well. The most striking result however was the European's evaluation of the Chinese, which was more positive than that of their own group. The stereotype of Chinese has clearly changed from the undesirable immigrant of earlier years to one of a model minority group, a view reinforced by their low crime rate and high educational and vocational attainment.