Culture Matters

The authors emphasize that an individualistic model of motivation is not objectively better. In the United States, doing well because of what others expect might seem to be evidence of a lack of potential, a sign that you’ve been coerced to do what’s required. But “interdependent forms of motivation need not feel overbearing and corrosive to personal autonomy,” the authors write – instead, they can be a source of empowerment, persistence and resilience.

“Motivation can be fueled by fulfilling expectations and contributing to the success and well-being of your family and others close to you,” Markus said.

The findings open up the possibility of designing educational interventions that don’t rely only on the Western idea of cultivating passion and grit as an individual but instead tap into how parents, teachers and peers can create more collectivist motivational systems, said Geoffrey Cohen, a professor of education and psychology at Stanford and a co-author of the study.

“We’ll be better able to unlock the potential of our students and our workforce if we have a broader and more enriched understanding of what drives people from a wide range of backgrounds,” he said.