The Effects of Gender and Socioeconomic Status on Academic Motivation: The Case of Lithuania
The problematic of gender and socioeconomic status
biased differences in academic motivation patterns is discussed.
Gender identity is understood according to symbolic interactionism
perspective: as a result of reflected appraisals, social comparisons,
self-attributions, and identifications, shaped by social environment
and family context. The effects of socioeconomic status on academic
motivation are conceptualized according to Bourdieu’s habitus
concept, reflecting the role of unconscious and internalized cultural
signals, proper to low and high socioeconomic status family contexts.
Since families differ by various socioeconomic features, the
hypothesis about possible impact of parents’ socioeconomic status on
their children’s academic motivation interfering with gender
socialization effects is held. The survey, aiming to seize gender
differences in academic motivation and self-recorded improvementoriented
efforts as a result of socialization processes operating in the
families of low and high socioeconomic status, was designed. The
results of Lithuanian higher education students’ survey are presented
and discussed.
[1] D. L. Best, “The Contributions of the Whitings to the Study of the
Socialization of Gender”. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 41
(4), pp. 534–545, Jul. 2010.
[2] P. Bourdieu, and J. Passeron, (1985). “Les heritiers, les etudiants et la
culture”. Paris: Les Editions de Minuit, 1985.
[3] B. G. Brinkman, K. L. Rabenstein, L. A. Rosen, and T. S. Zimmerman,
“Children’s Gender Identity Development: The Dynamic Negotiation
Process Between Conformity and Authenticity”. Youth and Society,
Sage, pp. 1–18, Jul. 2012.
[4] A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene and G. Merkys, “Gender Differences in
Studies’ Motivational Attitudes: The Context of Lithuanian Students’
Socialization (Accepted for publication)”. Social Research, to be
published.
[5] J. Eccles, “Gendered Educational and Occupational Choices: Applying
the Eccles et al. Model of Achievement-Related Choices”. International
Journal of Behavioral Development, vol. 35 (3), pp. 195–201, May,
2011.
[6] J. Boiche, M. Plaza, A. Chalabaev, E. Guillet-Descas, and P. Sarrazin,
“Social Antecedents and Consequences of Gender-Sport Stereotypes
During Adolescence”. Psychology of Women Quarterly, Sage, pp. 1–16,
Oct. 2013.
[7] R. Chuinard and N. Roy, (2008). „Changes in High-School
Students’Competence Beliefs, Utility Value and Achievement Goals in
Mathematics”. British Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 78,
pp. 31–50, 2008.
[8] S. K. Buday, J. E. Stake, and Z. D. Peterson, (2012). “Gender and the
Choice of a Science Carrier: The Impact of Social Support and Possible
Selves”. Sex Roles, vol. 66, pp. 197–209, 2012.
[9] C. Spera, “Adolescents’ Perceptions of Parental Goals, Practices, and
Styles in Relation to Their Motivation and Achievement”. The Journal
of Early Adolescence, vol. 26 (4), pp. 456–490, Oct. 2006.
[10] V. Gecas, “Socialization”. In Borgatta, E. & Montgomery, R. (Eds.),
Gale Encyclopedia of Sociology. 2d Ed., New York: Macmillan
Reference USA, 2000, pp. 2855–2864.
[11] D. L. Carlson and C. Knoester, “Family Structure and the
Intergenerational Transmission of Gender Ideology”. Journal of Family
Issues, vol. 32 (6), pp. 709–734, Apr. 2011.
[12] A. Hadjar, D. Baier, and K. Boehnke, “The Socialization of Hierarchic
Self-Interest: Value Socialization in the Family”. Young: Nordic Journal
of Youth Research, vol. 16 (3), pp. 279–301, Sep. 2008.
[13] S. H. Schwartz and T. Rubel-Lifschitz, “Cross-National Variation in the
Size of Sex Differences in Values: Effects of Gender Equality”. Journal
of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 97 (1), pp. 171–185, 2009.
[14] S. Hicks, “Gender Role Models… Who Needs ‘Em?!” Qualitative
Social Work, vol. 7(1), pp. 43–59. 2008.
[15] F. M. Deutsch, „Undoing Gender“. Gender and Society, vol. 21,
pp. 106–127, Jan. 2007.
[16] E. Portfeli, L. Ferrari and L. Nota, “Work Valence as a Predictor of
Academic Achievement in the Family Context”. Journal of Career
Development, vol. 40 (5), pp. 371–389, October 2012.
[17] H. Raty and K. Kasanen, “Gendered Views of Ability in Parents’
Perceptions of Their Children’s Academic Competencies”. Sex Roles,
vol. 56, pp. 117–124, Jan. 2007.
[18] L. Swalander and K. Taube, “Influences on Family Based Prerequisites,
Reading Attitude, and Self-Regulation on Reading Ability”.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, vol. 32, pp. 206–230, Mar.
2006.
[19] J. L. Meece, B. B. Glienke, and S. Burg, “Gender and Motivation”.
Journal of School Psychology, vol. 44, pp. 351–373, 2006.
[20] M. Sanchez-Lopez, I. Cuellar-Flores, R. Liminana and J. Corbalan,
“Differential Personality Styles in Men and Women: The Modulating
Effect of Gender Conformity”. SAGE Open, pp. 1–14, Apr.-Jun. 2012.
[21] J. A. Molina, J. I. Gimenez-Nadal, J. A. Cuesta, C. Gracia-Lazaro,
Y. Moreno, and A. Sanchez, “Gender Differences in Cooperation:
Experimental Evidence on High School Students”. PLOS ONE, vol. 8
(12), pp. 1–10, 2013.
[22] H. Marrs and E. A. Sigler, “Male Academic Performance in College:
The Possible Role of Study Strategies”. Psychology of Men &
Masculinity, vol. 13 (2), pp. 227–241, 2011.
[23] A. M. O’Rand, “Social Inequality”. In Borgatta, E. & Montgomery, R.
(Eds.), Gale Encyclopedia of Sociology. 2d Ed., New York: Macmillan
Reference USA, 2000, pp. 2690–2695.
[24] P. Blau and O. Duncan, “The American Occupational Structure”. New
York: Wiley & Sons, 1967.
[25] E. Lee and R. Kramer, “Out with the Old, In with the New? Habitus and
Social Mobility at Selective Colleges”. Sociology of Education, vol. 86,
pp. 18–35, May 2012.
[26] I. L. Mokrova, M. O’Brien, S. D. Calkins, E. M. Leerkes, and
S. Marcovitch, “Links between Family Social Status and Preschoolers’
Persistence: The Role of Maternal Values and Quality of Parenting”.
Infant and Child Development, vol. 21, pp. 617–633, Jun. 2012.
[27] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, “Knowledge
and skills for life: First results from the OECD Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA) 2000”. Paris: OECD, 2001.
[28] S. Boone and M. Van Houtte, “In Search of the Mechanisms Conducive
to Class Differentials in Educational Choice: A Mixed Method
Research”. Sociological Review, vol. 61(3), pp. 549–572, Aug. 2013.
[29] T. Greenhalgh, K. Seyan, and P. Boynton, “‘Not a University Type’:
Focus Group Study of Social Class, Ethnic, and Sex Differences in
School Pupils’ Perceptions about Medical School”. British Medical
Journal, vol. 328(7455), pp. 1541–1544, Jul. 2004.
[30] C. Ming, “Families, Economies, Cultures, and Science Achievement in
41 Countries: Country-. School-, and Student-Level Analyses”. Journal
of Family Psychology, vol. 21(3), pp. 510–519, Sep. 2007.
[31] J. Smith and R. Naylor, “Determinants of Degree Performance in UK
Universities: a Statistical Analysis of the 1993 Student Cohort,” Oxford
Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, vol. 63, pp. 29–60, Jan. 2001.
[32] E. B. Reeves, “The Effects of Opportunity to Learn, Family
Socioeconomic Status, and Friends on the Rural Math Achievement Gap
in High School”. American Behavioral Scientist, vol. 56(7), pp. 887–
907, Jul. 2012.
[33] E. W. Morris, “Social Class, Masculinity, and Schooling in a Rural
Context”. Gender and Society, vol. 22(6), pp. 728–751, Dec. 2008
[34] T. Bargel, M. Schmidt, and H. Bargel, “Quality and equity in higher
education – international experiences and comparisons. International
Workshop November 2008”. Konstanz: Konstanz University, 2009.
[35] G. Merkys, R. Lekaviciene, D. Saparniene, I. Mikutaviciene, and
A. Turcinskaite-Andujar, (2009). “Akademiniu studiju kokybe ir
socialinis kontekstas. Lietuvos studentu tarpkulturinis palyginamasis
tyrimas (report)”. Kaunas: Kaunas University of Technology, 2009.
[36] A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene and G. Merkys, “Assessing Higher
Education Quality in the Context of Conceptual Confusion and
Methodological Eclecticism”. Social Research, vol. 21 (4), pp. 70–81,
Dec. 2010.
[37] Z. Pauliukaite, A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene, and J. Balciunas,
„Translation Quality of Survey Instruments: Assessment of
Questionnaire on Motivation and Academic Studies Quality”. Social
Research, vol. 22 (1), pp. 52–64, Feb. 2011.
[38] Z. Pauliukaite, A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene, and G. Merkys, “Cross-
Cultural Validation of QUISS II Questionnaire: The Case of Lithuania”.
4th International Conference: Changes in Social and Business
Environment, issue: 4, pp. 155–164, Nov. 2011 (on www.ceeol.com).
[39] D. DeVaus, ”Surveys in Social Research”. Routledge, 2004.
[40] C. DiStefano, M. Zhu, and D. Mindrila, “Understanding and Using
Factor Scores: Considerations for the Applied Researcher”. Practical
Assessment, Research and Evaluation, vol. 14 (20), 1–11, Oct. 2009.
[1] D. L. Best, “The Contributions of the Whitings to the Study of the
Socialization of Gender”. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 41
(4), pp. 534–545, Jul. 2010.
[2] P. Bourdieu, and J. Passeron, (1985). “Les heritiers, les etudiants et la
culture”. Paris: Les Editions de Minuit, 1985.
[3] B. G. Brinkman, K. L. Rabenstein, L. A. Rosen, and T. S. Zimmerman,
“Children’s Gender Identity Development: The Dynamic Negotiation
Process Between Conformity and Authenticity”. Youth and Society,
Sage, pp. 1–18, Jul. 2012.
[4] A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene and G. Merkys, “Gender Differences in
Studies’ Motivational Attitudes: The Context of Lithuanian Students’
Socialization (Accepted for publication)”. Social Research, to be
published.
[5] J. Eccles, “Gendered Educational and Occupational Choices: Applying
the Eccles et al. Model of Achievement-Related Choices”. International
Journal of Behavioral Development, vol. 35 (3), pp. 195–201, May,
2011.
[6] J. Boiche, M. Plaza, A. Chalabaev, E. Guillet-Descas, and P. Sarrazin,
“Social Antecedents and Consequences of Gender-Sport Stereotypes
During Adolescence”. Psychology of Women Quarterly, Sage, pp. 1–16,
Oct. 2013.
[7] R. Chuinard and N. Roy, (2008). „Changes in High-School
Students’Competence Beliefs, Utility Value and Achievement Goals in
Mathematics”. British Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 78,
pp. 31–50, 2008.
[8] S. K. Buday, J. E. Stake, and Z. D. Peterson, (2012). “Gender and the
Choice of a Science Carrier: The Impact of Social Support and Possible
Selves”. Sex Roles, vol. 66, pp. 197–209, 2012.
[9] C. Spera, “Adolescents’ Perceptions of Parental Goals, Practices, and
Styles in Relation to Their Motivation and Achievement”. The Journal
of Early Adolescence, vol. 26 (4), pp. 456–490, Oct. 2006.
[10] V. Gecas, “Socialization”. In Borgatta, E. & Montgomery, R. (Eds.),
Gale Encyclopedia of Sociology. 2d Ed., New York: Macmillan
Reference USA, 2000, pp. 2855–2864.
[11] D. L. Carlson and C. Knoester, “Family Structure and the
Intergenerational Transmission of Gender Ideology”. Journal of Family
Issues, vol. 32 (6), pp. 709–734, Apr. 2011.
[12] A. Hadjar, D. Baier, and K. Boehnke, “The Socialization of Hierarchic
Self-Interest: Value Socialization in the Family”. Young: Nordic Journal
of Youth Research, vol. 16 (3), pp. 279–301, Sep. 2008.
[13] S. H. Schwartz and T. Rubel-Lifschitz, “Cross-National Variation in the
Size of Sex Differences in Values: Effects of Gender Equality”. Journal
of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 97 (1), pp. 171–185, 2009.
[14] S. Hicks, “Gender Role Models… Who Needs ‘Em?!” Qualitative
Social Work, vol. 7(1), pp. 43–59. 2008.
[15] F. M. Deutsch, „Undoing Gender“. Gender and Society, vol. 21,
pp. 106–127, Jan. 2007.
[16] E. Portfeli, L. Ferrari and L. Nota, “Work Valence as a Predictor of
Academic Achievement in the Family Context”. Journal of Career
Development, vol. 40 (5), pp. 371–389, October 2012.
[17] H. Raty and K. Kasanen, “Gendered Views of Ability in Parents’
Perceptions of Their Children’s Academic Competencies”. Sex Roles,
vol. 56, pp. 117–124, Jan. 2007.
[18] L. Swalander and K. Taube, “Influences on Family Based Prerequisites,
Reading Attitude, and Self-Regulation on Reading Ability”.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, vol. 32, pp. 206–230, Mar.
2006.
[19] J. L. Meece, B. B. Glienke, and S. Burg, “Gender and Motivation”.
Journal of School Psychology, vol. 44, pp. 351–373, 2006.
[20] M. Sanchez-Lopez, I. Cuellar-Flores, R. Liminana and J. Corbalan,
“Differential Personality Styles in Men and Women: The Modulating
Effect of Gender Conformity”. SAGE Open, pp. 1–14, Apr.-Jun. 2012.
[21] J. A. Molina, J. I. Gimenez-Nadal, J. A. Cuesta, C. Gracia-Lazaro,
Y. Moreno, and A. Sanchez, “Gender Differences in Cooperation:
Experimental Evidence on High School Students”. PLOS ONE, vol. 8
(12), pp. 1–10, 2013.
[22] H. Marrs and E. A. Sigler, “Male Academic Performance in College:
The Possible Role of Study Strategies”. Psychology of Men &
Masculinity, vol. 13 (2), pp. 227–241, 2011.
[23] A. M. O’Rand, “Social Inequality”. In Borgatta, E. & Montgomery, R.
(Eds.), Gale Encyclopedia of Sociology. 2d Ed., New York: Macmillan
Reference USA, 2000, pp. 2690–2695.
[24] P. Blau and O. Duncan, “The American Occupational Structure”. New
York: Wiley & Sons, 1967.
[25] E. Lee and R. Kramer, “Out with the Old, In with the New? Habitus and
Social Mobility at Selective Colleges”. Sociology of Education, vol. 86,
pp. 18–35, May 2012.
[26] I. L. Mokrova, M. O’Brien, S. D. Calkins, E. M. Leerkes, and
S. Marcovitch, “Links between Family Social Status and Preschoolers’
Persistence: The Role of Maternal Values and Quality of Parenting”.
Infant and Child Development, vol. 21, pp. 617–633, Jun. 2012.
[27] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, “Knowledge
and skills for life: First results from the OECD Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA) 2000”. Paris: OECD, 2001.
[28] S. Boone and M. Van Houtte, “In Search of the Mechanisms Conducive
to Class Differentials in Educational Choice: A Mixed Method
Research”. Sociological Review, vol. 61(3), pp. 549–572, Aug. 2013.
[29] T. Greenhalgh, K. Seyan, and P. Boynton, “‘Not a University Type’:
Focus Group Study of Social Class, Ethnic, and Sex Differences in
School Pupils’ Perceptions about Medical School”. British Medical
Journal, vol. 328(7455), pp. 1541–1544, Jul. 2004.
[30] C. Ming, “Families, Economies, Cultures, and Science Achievement in
41 Countries: Country-. School-, and Student-Level Analyses”. Journal
of Family Psychology, vol. 21(3), pp. 510–519, Sep. 2007.
[31] J. Smith and R. Naylor, “Determinants of Degree Performance in UK
Universities: a Statistical Analysis of the 1993 Student Cohort,” Oxford
Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, vol. 63, pp. 29–60, Jan. 2001.
[32] E. B. Reeves, “The Effects of Opportunity to Learn, Family
Socioeconomic Status, and Friends on the Rural Math Achievement Gap
in High School”. American Behavioral Scientist, vol. 56(7), pp. 887–
907, Jul. 2012.
[33] E. W. Morris, “Social Class, Masculinity, and Schooling in a Rural
Context”. Gender and Society, vol. 22(6), pp. 728–751, Dec. 2008
[34] T. Bargel, M. Schmidt, and H. Bargel, “Quality and equity in higher
education – international experiences and comparisons. International
Workshop November 2008”. Konstanz: Konstanz University, 2009.
[35] G. Merkys, R. Lekaviciene, D. Saparniene, I. Mikutaviciene, and
A. Turcinskaite-Andujar, (2009). “Akademiniu studiju kokybe ir
socialinis kontekstas. Lietuvos studentu tarpkulturinis palyginamasis
tyrimas (report)”. Kaunas: Kaunas University of Technology, 2009.
[36] A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene and G. Merkys, “Assessing Higher
Education Quality in the Context of Conceptual Confusion and
Methodological Eclecticism”. Social Research, vol. 21 (4), pp. 70–81,
Dec. 2010.
[37] Z. Pauliukaite, A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene, and J. Balciunas,
„Translation Quality of Survey Instruments: Assessment of
Questionnaire on Motivation and Academic Studies Quality”. Social
Research, vol. 22 (1), pp. 52–64, Feb. 2011.
[38] Z. Pauliukaite, A. Turcinskaite-Balciuniene, and G. Merkys, “Cross-
Cultural Validation of QUISS II Questionnaire: The Case of Lithuania”.
4th International Conference: Changes in Social and Business
Environment, issue: 4, pp. 155–164, Nov. 2011 (on www.ceeol.com).
[39] D. DeVaus, ”Surveys in Social Research”. Routledge, 2004.
[40] C. DiStefano, M. Zhu, and D. Mindrila, “Understanding and Using
Factor Scores: Considerations for the Applied Researcher”. Practical
Assessment, Research and Evaluation, vol. 14 (20), 1–11, Oct. 2009.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:68804", author = "Ausra Turcinskaite-Balciuniene and Jonas Balciunas and Gediminas Merkys", title = "The Effects of Gender and Socioeconomic Status on Academic Motivation: The Case of Lithuania", abstract = "The problematic of gender and socioeconomic status
biased differences in academic motivation patterns is discussed.
Gender identity is understood according to symbolic interactionism
perspective: as a result of reflected appraisals, social comparisons,
self-attributions, and identifications, shaped by social environment
and family context. The effects of socioeconomic status on academic
motivation are conceptualized according to Bourdieu’s habitus
concept, reflecting the role of unconscious and internalized cultural
signals, proper to low and high socioeconomic status family contexts.
Since families differ by various socioeconomic features, the
hypothesis about possible impact of parents’ socioeconomic status on
their children’s academic motivation interfering with gender
socialization effects is held. The survey, aiming to seize gender
differences in academic motivation and self-recorded improvementoriented
efforts as a result of socialization processes operating in the
families of low and high socioeconomic status, was designed. The
results of Lithuanian higher education students’ survey are presented
and discussed.
", keywords = "Academic Motivation, Gender, Socialization,
Socioeconomic Status.", volume = "9", number = "2", pages = "407-13", }
