Why Asian Americans Excel At Academics

[FarCenter]

Why do Asian Americans, as a group, tend to excel at academics?

Newly published research arrives at a simple answer: They work harder than their non-Asian peers.

The study also attempts to answer the less-simple question of why these kids tend to put more effort into their studies, and comes up with two likely answers: The culturally based belief that effort leads to achievement, and the fact that recent immigrants are highly motivated to succeed.

Read more: http://www.psmag.com/navigation/books-and-culture/asian-americans-excel-academics-80840/

[Jesus Malverde]

1. The term asian American is off the mark.

Two communities excel Indian Americans and Chinese Americans.

Japanese Americans fall in the middle.

Struggling are Asians from Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar.

The idea that Asian Americans are one group is something that is promoted in the media, but on the ground is very nuanced. Even with the Chinese Americans there is considerable variety based on where your family of orgin came from. Eastern city centers, hong kong, or countryside.

[DCBob]

3. Those "struggling" Asian groups are actually gaining ground..

Last edited Mon May 5, 2014, 08:22 PM - Edit history (1)

though they have a long way to go.

[Jesus Malverde]

6. Relative to what?

My point is that one cannot generalize about "Asian Americans".

As you seem aware they are not one heterogenous group, but a collection of peoples with different backgrounds and cultures that make their American experience unique.

[DCBob]

17. To themselves.

For sure "Asian Americans" are a generalization but isn't that true with any group.. are "White Americans" a more homogenous category? I doubt it.

[azmom]

19. Let me tell you what I know about the asians

[pampango]

2. "“South Asian parents have the highest educational expectations ... followed by Filipinos, Southeast

Asians, and East Asians.”

So what does make a difference? The researchers find that “differences in immigration status” are the biggest factor, followed by “differences in cultural orientation.”

“Regardless of ethnicity,” they write, “immigrants are self-selected in terms of their motivation to succeed and their optimism for future success.”

Regarding cultural differences about learning, “the results show that Asian Americans are less likely than whites to believe that ability is inborn, and more likely to believe that one can learn to be good at math,” the researchers write.

That very real problem aside, this report reinforces the idea that America’s continued success is tied to the fact we are a nation of immigrants—a land that attracts motivated people who work hard to succeed, and instill those same values in their children. Perhaps rather than tiger moms, we should call them eagle moms.

[Jesus Malverde]

7. I don't think that college admissions bear that out..nt

[pampango]

9. Perhaps, but that is apparently what this study showed. n/t

[Jesus Malverde]

10. College admissions might be a better indicator..

The results contradict facts on the ground. Especially in California.

[pampango]

13. What are the college admission statistics? n/t

[WinkyDink]

4. "achievement," "succeed"---How about the simple thirst and respect for knowledge?

[Jemon]

5. Asians have a higher income than other groups

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/09/17/asian-households-have-highest-income-blacks-the-lowest/

Lower income Asians in the US do not perform as well as high income.


The study is BS. Non Asians are not lazier.

[pampango]

11. "socioeconomic factors ... two-parent families with higher incomes,” explains “almost none ...

Crunching the numbers further, they find socioeconomic factors, such as the fact that Asian Americans kids “are more likely to live in stable, two-parent families with higher incomes,” explains “almost none of the overall Asian-white gap in academic effort.”

[FarCenter]

14. It is pretty clearly a cultural advantage

The importance of this motivating factor is reinforced by the finding that “their educational advantages decline over generations,” Hsin and Xie write, “suggesting that third- and later-generation Asian-Americans do not benefit from these resources as much as first- or second-generation.”

This is also true for whites. American Nobel prize winners are predominantly either immigrants or first or second generation from cultural groups that conserve their old-world culture. But once they are assimilated, the corrosive effects of American culture defeat them.

[YoungDemCA]

8. Higher income as well as higher educational attainment of the parents

Also, as pointed out, "Asian-Americans" are far from one homogeneous group.

Next question!

[JI7]

12. lack of religion is part of it, morals is more about academic acheivement and just

getting knowledge and doing well.

this doesn't mean parents are not strict concerning private lives of kids as they are. but it's not done in a way where it's viewed as a sin or failing god. it's seen more as being harmful because it can get in the way of success in things like school, jobs etc.

hindu temples are more of social gatherings than being taught about the religion.

also immigration policies probably benefited the types of immigrants who came. many were the types who did well and they would apply for their family to come once they themselves had some success and were able to support their family.

[northoftheborder]

15. Link from above link: (link on original post)

On the link's page above about the Asians as students, there is another link to World War II history of the Chinese part in that war that has been overlooked/ignored. The long article is about the Japanese/Chinese/Russian struggles with each other pre-world war II, the japanese/chinese battles, the Chinese contributions to the War, and the Chinese Civil War. A lot of this history is being published in books after unearthing documents from the era after break- up of the Soviet Union, and in new openings in China to previously inaccessible documents. Good insights into present day relations between the various countries.

[YoungDemCA]

16. Other possible reasons:

Social Networks
Access to state institutions
Conditions in the country of origin
Why some (groups of) people migrated in the first place, vs why others did
Employment in specific industries or occupations

[Major Nikon]

18. It's generally harder to immigrate to the USA from Asia

So you have the most determined people emigrating from areas that are some of the most competitive to begin with.