Abstract
The history of research on achievement motivation conducted by psychologists in Taiwan was reviewed to show the transformation from the implantation of Western instruments of measurement at an early stage, the development of indigenous instruments at a later stage, to the bottom-up model building approach advocated by some indigenous psychologists at recent. The weakness of empirical research with naïve positivism was criticized in light of postpositivism; moreover, a theoretical model for studying life goals and achievement motivations in Confucian society was proposed in contrast with the implicit theory of intelligence (Dweck and Leggett, Psychological Review, 95(2), 256–273; 1988). A series of empirical research have been conducted to demonstrate several main propositions derived from the current theoretical model addressing vertical distinctiveness and personal goal; intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation; three types of life goals and their significances in Confucian society; social pressure and personal effort in academic vs. talented performance; and the moral significance of efforts in Chinese society.
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Hwang, KK. (2012). Life Goals and Achievement Motivation in Confucian Society. In: Foundations of Chinese Psychology. International and Cultural Psychology, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1439-1_9
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