Child rearing: The effect in achievement motivation
QUESTION: Child rearing has an effect in achievement motivation. Discuss!
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The parental support exerts most direct influence upon the acquisition of achievement motivation, this essay is going to provide an important perspective of the relationship between achievement motivation and child rearing. Achievement motivation can be defined as a concern for excellence in performance as reflected in competition with the standards set by others or over unique accomplishment or long time involvement (McClellad,1953). Child rearing on the other hand refers to the guidance, communication and interest shown by parents to their children when they are growing up (Acharya & Joshi, 2011). Child rearing affects achievement motivation through the type of family in which a child was raised in, the social status of the parents among others. However, besides child rearing individual`s health and the environment that a child gets raised in can affect achievement motivation. This essay is going to explain how child rearing affects achievement motivation to a greater extent.
Parenting styles and techniques have consistently been shown to relate to various outcomes such as child psychological problems and academic performance. Baumrind (1967) identifies three parenting ways which are authoritative, permissive, and authoritarian. Authoritative parenting can be noted by high levels of nurturance, involvement, sensitivity, reasoning, and encouragement of autonomy. Parents who direct the activities and decisions for their children through reasoning and discipline would be described as authoritative. Conversely, permissive parenting is characterized by making few demands, exhibiting non-controlling behaviours, and using minimal punishment. For example, parents who do not establish rules and guidelines for their child’s behaviour would be described as permissive parent. Authoritarian parents exhibit highly directive behaviours, high levels of restriction and rejection behaviours, and power-asserting behaviours.
Child rearing can affect achievement motivation through the emphasis of responsibility. (Reitman, Rhode, Hupp, & Altobello, 2002) state that the authoritative parenting style stresses more on responsibility and demands which then fosters high academic performance. In addition to the above (Baumrind & Black,1967) goes on to say that children of parents who are authoritative are the most motivated, the most competent, and the most achievement oriented. In addition, Baumrind and Black (1967) found that authoritative parenting was positively associated with academic performance; and authoritarian and permissive parenting was negatively associated with grades. This shows how parenting style or child rearing can affect achievement motivation as one can note that the children of parents who are strict are more motivated compared to the children who have parents who are less strict. Parents set clear and firm rules about homework, television watching, and other daily activities, and actively seek out-of-school opportunities and extracurricular activities that reinforce school lessons, encourage exploration and creativity, and develop children’s special talents. Thus one can say that child rearing has an effect on achievement motivation.
Regarding associations between parenting style and Asian Americans, parenting styles may not have the same influence as generally seen in other ethnic or racial groups. Asian American parents who are usually described as “controlling” or “authoritarian,” have children who have poor academic achievement (Attaway & Hafer-Bry, 2004). This lack of achievement motivation may be caused by the fact that Asian American parents view “parental control” as a more organizational type of control that fosters smooth family functioning and harmony rather than promoting achievement motivation. Hence one say that child rearing does affect achievement motivation of people depending on how the rearing is administered.
To add on, studies carried out also shows the relationship between achievement motivation and child rearing the relationship between parenting characteristics and academic performance has been examined in college students. Strage and Brandt (1999) examined the role of parenting styles in the lives of college students and found that previous parenting behaviours continue to be important in the lives of college students as with children and adolescents. They found that the more autonomy, demand, and support parents provided, the more students were confident and persistent academically. In other words, authoritative parenting was found to continue having an influence on students’ academic performance. The children continue to be confident and motivated mainly because of what their parents demand from them drives them to do better thus showing how parenting styles has an effect on achievement motivation.
Moreover, child rearing in the family environment context also has an effect on achievement motivation as the family environment affects a person’s self efficacy. Self efficacy is defined as the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute courses of action required to produce given attainments (Bandura, 1986). Self-efficacy has been shown to be influential in the actions and success of individuals in many different areas, including overcoming fears, success in the workplace, hard life transitions, and academic performance (Bandura, 1986). From the above mentioned it becomes clear that when a child is raised in an environment where one doubts their capabilities in accomplishing a certain task it becomes hard for them to be motivated when they are doubtful, however as students’ academic expectations and selfef ficacy increase, they are more likely to show higher academic performance in families with good environments parents should be able to know the weakness and strength of their children and be able to assist them and also parents should provide frequent encouragement. Therefore, one can say that child rearing has an effect on achievement motivation.
In addition, family factors like parents’ level of education, parental expectations also affect achievement motivation. Parents provide their children with the motive to achieve mainly when they are educated because the children will be driven by the need to be better than their parents. These parents are also responsible for teaching their children problem solving techniques and other related skills (Attaway & Hafer-Bry, 2004). The children are also motivated by the verbal support, feedback about work or school that their parents give them. This parental support that children are given results in better grades which in turn results in achievement and confidence. Parental support to the children is positively correlated to children’s I.Q scores, educational aspiration, educational attainment and motivational achievement. Consequently, one can note on how parental support affects achievement motivation.
Child rearing through the intervention by the family as an institution has a positive effect on achievement motivation. The more family support their children’s learning and educational progress the more the children tend to do well in school. In addition, it can also be said that this involvement is also based on the income of the family. Poor families may not be able to be as involved as the rich family, the poor family will not be able to provide as much incentives as those provided by the rich which will greatly demotivate the poor family’s children. Williams, Shanks & Destin, (2009) talk of contextual differences that may affect achievement and motivation. For example, “middle class families are more likely to raise their children to participate in structured activities that develop talents, and unlike working class and poor children, these children become much better at interacting with and negotiating societal institutions” Researchers emphasize, however, that many factors can hinder parents from providing these kinds of supports. Some parents may be grappling with outside stressors, time and resources constraints, or unfamiliarity with what role they might play. Hence it is proper to say that parenting styles has an effect on achievement motivation.
Parents’ beliefs and expectations also appear to strongly influence children’s motivation. For example, parents who hold high expectations for their children’s learning, believe in their children’s competence, expose them to new experiences, and encourage curiosity and persistence can help their children develop an intrinsic motivation to learn. By contrast, parents who are controlling, use rewards and punishments for academic performance, or display negativity or anger about academics which can discourage children from developing intrinsic motivation (Gottfried, Fleming, & Gottfried, 1994). Likewise, when parents support autonomy, children are more likely to be intrinsically motivated and engaged in school and have a better ability to take control of their own behaviour and learning. It is clear that using punishments and rewards to children has a negative effect to the children because they may feel demotivated, on the other hand giving children some form of free will motivate the children motivate the children because they know that they are responsible for their actions. Therefore, parental support affects achievement motivation.
However, on the other hand one can also view achievement motivation as being vulnerable to health related issues. For example, children with certain disorders like dyslexia receive less attention from the teachers because of their health condition. Riddick (1996) says that it seems that the negative experiences that children with dyslexia may have at school, and the relationships that they often have with some teachers, serve to de-motivate them to the point where they feel incapable of succeeding. These experiences the children have serve as a demotivating agent. After experiencing all these experiences children become very demotivated and the teachers pay more attention to the children with high I.Q scores .thus health plays a pivotal negative role in affecting achievement motivation.
Lastly the environment that is the type of society and the type of people that surround children when they grow up also plays a part in affecting achievement motivation. Discrimination for example is a factor that has a huge impact on achievement motivation. it can damage the confidence of students and contribute to academic disengagement. Additionally, students who experience prejudice may adopt a mind-set that attributes failure to external reasons beyond their control, as a means of protecting their self-esteem and group identity. This is significant because an external-attribution attitude can undermine the feelings of control and autonomy that are necessary for strong motivation (Graham & Hudley,2005). This environmental factor affects the people psychologically and people fail to perform at their best since they will lack confidence.
All in all one can say that authoritative parenting style significantly predicted academic performance, and no relation was found for permissive and authoritarian parenting styles. The authoritative parenting style provides limitations to children that help them focus on their studies more. To add on rich families are capable of seeking activities that are significant in raising children’s achievement motivation. Therefore, child rearing affects achievement motivation to a greater extent.
REFERENCE LIST
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