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The Source of the 'Asian Advantage' Isn't Asian Values
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/editorial-source-asian-advantage-isnt-asian-values-n443526Emphasis mine. This goes with my anecdotal experience, but it's interesting to see some numbers.
Last week, I asked the 70 students in my class, "Has someone ever assumed you were good at math because of your race?" Nearly every Asian-American student raised their hand. I then asked, "Has someone assumed you were not a good student because of your race?" Every black student in my class raised his or her hand.
Experimental research shows again and again that the more a teacher expects and treats students as capable and smart, the more they show growth on and score higher on I.Q. tests. These are controlled experiments. Stereotypes matter. They can even make you smarter. On this point I agree with Kristof that Asian Americans have an advantage.
Perhaps these stereotypes matter more than cultural values. What group in the U.S. does not value education? In fact, by one measure, belief that a college degree is necessary for success, Latinos (70%) value education more than Asians (61%). Blacks are more likely to believe college is necessary than whites. Valuing education is not an Asian thing. Some might counter that Asians don't just value education, they also value hard work. Ideas about hard work and race go hand-in-hand, though. For Asian Americans, hard work is recognized. That's not the case for all groups. A new study suggests that when black workers' productivity exceeds their white counterparts, even by a wide margin, they still receive lower wages and promotions at slower rates.
There is a real downside to the idea that Asian cultural values drive Asian-American success. Asian subgroups--like Cambodians, Burmese, and Hmong--have higher high school drop-out rates than any other racial group in the United States. But they are not seen by policymakers because they are made invisible by the model minority stereotype and its assumed cultural advantages.
Experimental research shows again and again that the more a teacher expects and treats students as capable and smart, the more they show growth on and score higher on I.Q. tests. These are controlled experiments. Stereotypes matter. They can even make you smarter. On this point I agree with Kristof that Asian Americans have an advantage.
Perhaps these stereotypes matter more than cultural values. What group in the U.S. does not value education? In fact, by one measure, belief that a college degree is necessary for success, Latinos (70%) value education more than Asians (61%). Blacks are more likely to believe college is necessary than whites. Valuing education is not an Asian thing. Some might counter that Asians don't just value education, they also value hard work. Ideas about hard work and race go hand-in-hand, though. For Asian Americans, hard work is recognized. That's not the case for all groups. A new study suggests that when black workers' productivity exceeds their white counterparts, even by a wide margin, they still receive lower wages and promotions at slower rates.
There is a real downside to the idea that Asian cultural values drive Asian-American success. Asian subgroups--like Cambodians, Burmese, and Hmong--have higher high school drop-out rates than any other racial group in the United States. But they are not seen by policymakers because they are made invisible by the model minority stereotype and its assumed cultural advantages.
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