View in EDS

Secondary School Students' Attitudes towards Chemistry: A Cultural Comparison between Germany and China

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Secondary School Students' Attitudes towards Chemistry: A Cultural Comparison between Germany and China
Language: English
Authors: Lilith Rüschenpöhler (ORCID 0000-0002-4684-9523), Xiaoyang Gong (ORCID 0000-0002-1423-7776), Chuang Wang (ORCID 0000-0003-3372-2053), Silvija Markic (ORCID 0000-0003-3373-5508)
Source: International Journal of Science Education. 2025 47(11):1381-1400.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Secondary School Students, Student Attitudes, Chemistry, Collectivism, Individualism, Cultural Differences, Gender Differences, Self Concept, Academic Persistence, Sense of Belonging, Language Skills
Geographic Terms: Germany, China
DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2024.2365461
ISSN: 0950-0693
1464-5289
Abstract: This paper investigates the attitudes towards chemistry of male and female secondary school students from Germany and China to understand the role of collectivism and individualism in attitudes towards chemistry, comparing Germany, a relatively individualist country, with China which is rather collectivist. Literature suggests that the gender gap in attitudes towards science is larger in collectivist countries. Beyond that, the data base is insufficient. 1468 secondary school students (China: 883, Germany: 585) responded to a survey. Results of ANOVAs suggested that students from China show more negative attitudes towards chemistry and a more pronounced gender gap in favour of males regarding chemistry self-concept, persistence in chemistry, sense of belonging in chemistry, and perception of linguistic abilities in chemistry. This conforms to theories of collectivism and individualism. However, this trend was not found for the need for the cognition in chemistry and perceived student and teacher support in chemistry. The paper discusses societal aspects that might explain the deviances from collectivism/individualism research. It shows that (a) individualism and collectivism impact students' attitudes towards chemistry but (b) more nuanced analyses are required considering specific sociocultural and economic factors to understand attitudes towards chemistry in cross-cultural comparisons.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1493918
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1493918
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Secondary School Students' Attitudes towards Chemistry: A Cultural Comparison between Germany and China
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lilith+Rüschenpöhler%22">Lilith Rüschenpöhler</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4684-9523">0000-0002-4684-9523</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiaoyang+Gong%22">Xiaoyang Gong</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1423-7776">0000-0002-1423-7776</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chuang+Wang%22">Chuang Wang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3372-2053">0000-0003-3372-2053</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Silvija+Markic%22">Silvija Markic</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3373-5508">0000-0003-3373-5508</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Science+Education%22"><i>International Journal of Science Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 47(11):1381-1400.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 20
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry%22">Chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Collectivism%22">Collectivism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individualism%22">Individualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Differences%22">Cultural Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Persistence%22">Academic Persistence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Skills%22">Language Skills</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Germany%22">Germany</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/09500693.2024.2365461
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0950-0693<br />1464-5289
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This paper investigates the attitudes towards chemistry of male and female secondary school students from Germany and China to understand the role of collectivism and individualism in attitudes towards chemistry, comparing Germany, a relatively individualist country, with China which is rather collectivist. Literature suggests that the gender gap in attitudes towards science is larger in collectivist countries. Beyond that, the data base is insufficient. 1468 secondary school students (China: 883, Germany: 585) responded to a survey. Results of ANOVAs suggested that students from China show more negative attitudes towards chemistry and a more pronounced gender gap in favour of males regarding chemistry self-concept, persistence in chemistry, sense of belonging in chemistry, and perception of linguistic abilities in chemistry. This conforms to theories of collectivism and individualism. However, this trend was not found for the need for the cognition in chemistry and perceived student and teacher support in chemistry. The paper discusses societal aspects that might explain the deviances from collectivism/individualism research. It shows that (a) individualism and collectivism impact students' attitudes towards chemistry but (b) more nuanced analyses are required considering specific sociocultural and economic factors to understand attitudes towards chemistry in cross-cultural comparisons.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1493918
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1493918
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09500693.2024.2365461
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 1381
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Collectivism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Individualism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cultural Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Concept
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Persistence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Germany
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Secondary School Students' Attitudes towards Chemistry: A Cultural Comparison between Germany and China
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lilith Rüschenpöhler
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Xiaoyang Gong
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Chuang Wang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Silvija Markic
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0950-0693
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1464-5289
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 47
            – Type: issue
              Value: 11
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Science Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1