Adolescent Motivation to Learn Science and Math Across Countries: The Role of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Abstract

Drawing on five of Hofstede's national cultural dimensions and large-scale data from over 60 countries (PISA 2012 mathematics; PISA 2015 science), this study conducts a country-level comparative analysis to examine whether national cultural profiles predict cross-national variation in adolescent autonomous motivation toward STEM learning. Autonomous motivation was operationalized using PISA items grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), encompassing intrinsic motivation and identified regulation. We hypothesized that collectivism (H1) would be positively, and masculinity (H2) negatively, associated with national-mean autonomous motivation, with corresponding research questions (RQ1, RQ2); associations with uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence–restraint were explored as an additional research question (RQ3). H1 was supported: collectivism was the strongest predictor across both subjects and motivation types. H2 was not supported. Lower uncertainty avoidance and shorter-term orientation were consistently associated with higher national-mean autonomous motivation. These country-level patterns suggest that national cultural profiles shape the aggregate motivational climate within which STEM learning occurs, with implications for culturally responsive educational policy.