The Effects Of Left-behind Children’s Social Mobility Beliefs On Their Academic Motivation

Studies at home and abroad have shown that social mobility beliefs can significantly affect the academic motivation of children with low socio-economic status.In China,most left-behind children belong to low socio-economic status groups,but there is little research on the current situation and impact of left-behind children’s social mobility beliefs.This study explores the influence of left-behind children’s social mobility beliefs on their academic motivation,and introduces the variable of academic possible self to test its effect.In Study 1,192 left-behind children and 216 non left-behind children were measured by questionnaire.The results show that left-behind children are significantly lower than non left-behind children in subjective socio-economic status,objective socio-economic status,social mobility beliefs,academic possible self and academic motivation,and there are significant positive correlations among social mobility beliefs,academic possible self and academic motivation.In Study 2,198 left-behind children were selected to manipulate their social mobility beliefs,and measure their academic possible self and academic motivation.The results show that the social mobility beliefs of left-behind children have a significant impact on their academic motivation.The academic motivation of subjects with high mobility beliefs is significantly higher than that of the control group,while the academic motivation of subjects with low mobility beliefs is significantly lower than that of the control group.At the same time,academic self may play an intermediary role in it.In study 3,182 left-behind children were selected,manipulated their social mobility beliefs,manipulated their academic possible self,and measured their academic motivation.Divide social mobility beliefs and academic possible self into two levels:high and low.The design was a 2 × 2 between-participants design.The results show that the social mobility beliefs of left-behind children can not only directly affect their academic motivation,but also affect their academic motivation through interaction with their academic possible self.