Ethnic/cultural identity salience, achievement goals and motivational climate in multicultural physical education classes

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the association of ethnic/cultural identity salience with achievement goals and motivational climate in multicultural physical education classes. Methods: Questionnaires assessing ethnic/cultural identity salience, achievement goals and motivational climate were completed by high school students with Greek (n = 927) and non-Greek (n = 366) ethnic origin. The ethnic/cultural identity salience questionnaire comprised four factors suggesting ethnic belonging, assimilation, feelings of being on the fringe of ethnic identity, and lack of desire to interact with members of other ethnic groups. Results: Multilevel modeling analyses indicated that task orientation and class learning oriented climate were positively linked with ethnic belonging and assimilation from the larger culture. On the other hand, ego orientation and class performance oriented climates were positively associated with feelings of being on the fringe of ethnic identity, and with lack of desire to interact with members of other ethnic groups. Conclusions: The present findings encourage the conduct of intervention studies emphasizing task orientation and decreasing ego orientation to promote mutual respect among ethnicities and acculturation from the larger culture. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.