Classroom climate and students' goal preferences: a cross-cultural comparison.
Goal preferences indicate intentions to achieve or avoid particular states. We examined whether Curacaoan and Dutch students differ in goal preferences related to school and whether goal preferences are associated with students' evaluation of the classroom climate. Measurement invariance of the instruments was also tested between samples. Participants attended vocational high schools in Curacao (N = 276) or in the Netherlands (N = 283). Both the classroom climate and goal preferences differed between the samples. In the Netherlands the preference for individuality, belongingness, and recognition was stronger, whereas in Curacao mastery, satisfaction, self-determination, and material gain were more frequently endorsed. The two variables were modestly correlated. Schools do have a globalizing effect on students' school experiences and hardly adapt to goal preferences. The latter seem to be affected by non-school related cultural factors.
Vedder
Paul
P
Leiden University, Department of Education and Child Studies, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, the Netherlands. Vedder@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
Kouwenhoven
Coen
C
Burk
William J
WJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004493:Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D009427:Netherlands Antilles; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014829:Vocational Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult