Social motivation and deep approaches to learning: a nationwide study among Chinese college students

Mainstream research in higher education and motivation has shown the importance of intrinsic and instrumental motivation on student learning and achievement. However, the role of social motivation has been relatively neglected. This gap is especially salient in a collectivist cultural context where social factors play a critical role. Drawing on a nationally representative sample of Chinese college students (n = 67,182), this study investigated how social motivation towards (a) parents and teachers, (b) peers, and (c) the broader society are associated with deep approaches to learning including higher-order, integrative, and reflective learning. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the data with the different types of social motivation posited as predictors of deep approaches to learning. Confirming prior research, the results showed that students with higher intrinsic and instrumental motivation were more likely to use deep approaches learning. More interestingly, students who had higher levels of social motivation directed towards parents/teachers, peers, and the broader society were also more likely to engage in deep approaches to learning. Furthermore, we also found significant mean-level differences in social motivation and deep approaches to learning for students of different genders, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, year levels, and institutional types. These findings demonstrate the importance of taking students’ diverse socio-demographic and institutional backgrounds into account. This article advocated for the importance of exploring social motivation to develop a more nuanced understanding of college students’ motivation and learning in a collectivist context.