Learning-Related Values in Young Children's Storybooks: An Investigation in the United States, China, and Mexico. (May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cheung, Cecilia S.; Monroy, Jorge A.; Delany, Danielle E.
• Is Part Of: Journal of cross-cultural psychology. Volume 48:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 532
• Page End: 541
• Publication Date: 2017-05
• Subjects: values -- attitudes -- beliefs -- developmental: child/adolescent -- cultural psychology; Ethnopsychology -- Periodicals; 155.805
• DOI: 10.1177/0022022117696801
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0221

Abstract

This research examined the prevalence of learning-related values in children's storybooks in the United States, China, and Mexico. Storybooks ( N = 157) were randomly selected from government-recommended booklists in each country. Trained coders assessed the prevalence of learning-related beliefs (e.g., malleability of ability), motivated cognitions (e.g., achievement orientation), and behaviors (e.g., effort) in the storybooks. A set of MANOVAs revealed that Chinese (vs. American and Mexican) storybooks contained more instances of learning-related beliefs and behaviors. For example, Chinese storybooks included more instances of achievement-related goals and behaviors, relative to storybooks in the United States and Mexico. With the exception of achievement goals and helplessness, the prevalence of learning-related qualities was largely similar in the United States and Mexico.