The Role of Parents’ Conceptions of Learning on Children’s Academic Achievement with Referring to the Cultural Reproduction

Abstract

Little research thus far has focused on the role of parents’ conceptions of learning in children’s academic achievement. We examined the relationship between parents’ household incomes, educational history, conceptions of learning, expectations about their children’s academic achievement, and parenting behaviors. We collected data from 400 parents of elementary school and junior high school students via a web-based survey. Results of a factor analysis showed that the parents’ conceptions about learning varied in terms of the dimension of deep or surface information processing. Moreover, the results of a path analysis revealed that, along with the expectations about their children’s academic achievement, deep conceptions of learning mediated the relationship between a high level of education and high frequency of beneficial parenting behaviors. We discuss how these concepts are involved in cultural reproduction.