2017 Volume 101 Pages 49-68
In academic achievement gap studies, cultural reproduction is one of the most popular theories. There has been much discussion and empirical research about the initial gap employed by cultural reproduction theory. However, there are few studies on the change in a child’s cultural capital (e.g. knowledge, habitus) through school experience. Therefore, although the theory is able to explain why the academic achievement gap occurs in an early stage, it is difficult to explain why the gap is maintained and extended.
The aim of this paper is to study the above issues based on cultural reproduction theory and by using panel data of academic achievement. In order to study these issues, this paper focus on reciprocal causality between academic achievement and learning attitude. The mechanism of the academic achievement gap is considered, revealing whether or not there is reciprocal causality.
The main findings are as follows: ( 1 ) The effect from social class on achievement weakens as the grade increases; ( 2 ) the relationship between pre-achievement and post-achievement becomes stronger as the grade increases; and ( 3 ) there is reciprocal causality between academic achievement and learning attitude.
Considering the above results, the hypothesis on the mechanism of the academic achievement gap suggests that children with low achievement will receive cumulatively greater disadvantages by using the following concepts; self-productivity of skills and positive-feedback. According to the theory, a small initial achievement gap, caused by the cultural capital of parents, will inevitably produce a greater achievement gap.
From the results of the study, it can be concluded that effective school policies are desired, with studies on how the situation of “low achievement” affects students’ habitus or self-concept and how students struggle against this situation.
