Different motivation, different achievements: the relationship of motivation and dedication to academic pursuits with final grades among Jewish and Arab undergraduates studying together

The study investigates how motivation and dedication to academic pursuits relate to final undergraduate grades among Jewish (majority) and Arab (minority) students studying together in Israel. Prior literature documents persistent achievement gaps between majority and minority groups globally and in Israel, often attributed to sociocultural and structural factors. The authors posit that cultural differences—particularly individualism versus collectivism—may shape motivational orientations and learning engagement, which in turn influence academic performance. Drawing on Achievement Goal Theory and Expectancy-Value Theory, the study examines whether types of engagement (active vs. passive), willingness to invest effort, persistence, and seeking challenges differ by ethnic origin and how these relate to cumulative grades. Hypotheses: (1) Jewish-origin students will have higher final grades; (2) higher motivation will correlate positively with grades; (3) passive engagement (adherence to assignments/authority) will be higher among Arab-origin students than Jewish-origin students.

Extensive evidence shows achievement gaps between majority and minority groups across education systems, with minorities often experiencing lower grades, slower progression, and higher dropout rates (e.g., U.S. gaps for African American and Latinx students). In Israel, Arab-origin students enroll less, complete at lower rates, and have higher dropout than Jewish-origin students, despite recent improvements. Cultural differences are salient: Arab society in Israel is characterized as more collectivist and traditional, emphasizing extended family and authority, whereas Jewish society is more individualistic. Prior work links collectivism/individualism to academic strategies and outcomes. Achievement Goal Theory differentiates mastery versus performance goals and approach versus avoidance orientations; approach goals are generally associated with better outcomes, while avoidance goals relate to poorer outcomes. Cultural meanings shape students’ theories of learning and goal orientations. Expectancy-Value Theory posits achievement as a function of expectancy (beliefs about success) and value (importance, utility, interest, and cost). The authors expect similar overall value across groups but potential group differences in expectancy/self-efficacy given cultural orientations. Prior research in Israel suggests Arab students may show lower approach-avoidance goal levels than Jewish students, potentially reflecting cautious challenge-seeking and more passive coping strategies.

Design: Cross-sectional survey with subsequent linkage to institutional final undergraduate grades. Participants: N=147 second-year undergraduates at a mixed college in Israel; 74 Arab-origin and 73 Jewish-origin students (self-reported). Gender: 109 women (74.15%), 38 men (25.85%); no significant gender distribution differences by group, χ²(1)=0.96, p>0.5 (Arabs: 55 women, 19 men; Jews: 54 women, 19 men). Age: 18–57 years (M=24.78, SD=6.64); no group difference, t(145)=0.44, p>0.05 (Arabs: M=24.54, SD=7.27; Jews: M=25.02, SD=5.98). Procedure: Students were invited during classes; participation was voluntary with assurances of confidentiality and no academic impact. Informed consent included permission to access final grades. Questionnaires were administered during arranged sessions. Final cumulative grades were retrieved from college databases 2.5 years after questionnaire completion per ethics approval. Seven students who dropped out were excluded from analyses. Instruments: (1) Motivational Patterns Questionnaire (Eliassy, 1999), 24 items, 1–4 scale, with five subscales and internal consistency in this study: persistence facing difficulties (α=0.71), active engagement in learning (α=0.84), passive engagement in learning (α=0.82), willingness to invest effort (α=0.81), seeking challenges (α=0.77). (2) Academic achievement: final bachelor’s degree grades from institutional records. (3) Demographics: gender, track, year, age, ethnic origin. Analytic strategy: Group differences in motivational patterns tested via one-way MANOVA; group differences in final grades via independent-samples t-test. Associations examined with Pearson correlations separately by group. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses conducted separately for each group: Step 1 demographics (age, gender); Step 2 motivational subscales; Step 3 significant interactions between motivational variables and demographics (entered only if p<0.05), to estimate explained variance in final grades.

- Group differences in motivational patterns: MANOVA significant, F(5,141)=4.01, p<0.01, η²=0.13. Significant univariate differences favored Jewish-origin students in willingness to invest effort in studies (Arabs: M=2.37, SD=0.42; Jews: M=2.58, SD=0.55; F=6.99, p<0.01, η²=0.05) and seeking challenges (Arabs: M=1.99, SD=0.49; Jews: M=2.20, SD=0.59; F=5.73, p<0.01, η²=0.04). No significant group differences in persistence, active engagement, or passive engagement. - Final grades: Jewish-origin students had significantly higher final grades than Arab-origin students, t(206)=6.53, p<0.001 (Arabs: M=71.98, SD=9.91; Jews: M=81.93, SD=8.51). - Correlations with grades (by group): Arabs: passive engagement positively correlated with final grade (r=0.36, p<0.01); other motivational subscales showed no significant positive association with grades. Jews: active engagement positively correlated with final grade (r=0.31, p<0.01). - Additional correlational patterns (both groups): active and passive engagement were positively intercorrelated; both forms of engagement negatively correlated with persistence facing difficulties; willingness to invest effort was positively correlated with passive engagement in both groups and with active engagement only among Jewish-origin students; passive engagement negatively correlated with seeking challenges in both groups. - Regression analyses: Arabs (N=74): Total R²=0.30 (p<0.01). Step 1 (age, gender) explained 14% (age positively associated with grades). Step 2 (motivation) added 12%; passive engagement positively (β≈0.38, p<0.01) and active engagement negatively (β≈−0.22, p<0.05) associated with grades. Step 3 interaction added 4%: willingness to invest effort × age (β≈−0.23, p<0.05) indicating among older Arab students, higher willingness to invest effort related to lower grades. Jews (N=73): Total R²=0.13. Step 1 negligible. Step 2 added 12%; active engagement positively associated with grades (β≈0.33, p<0.05). - Interaction probing among Arab students: Younger students showed no significant relation between willingness to invest effort and grades; among older students, there was a significant negative relation (β≈−0.23).

Findings support the hypothesis of achievement disparities: Jewish-origin students achieved higher final grades than Arab-origin students, consistent with national and international evidence on majority-minority gaps. Motivational profiles also differed: Jewish-origin students reported greater willingness to invest effort and higher preference for seeking challenges, aligning with theoretical expectations that individualistic cultures emphasize self-initiated challenge and agency. The group-specific links between engagement types and achievement were notable: among Arabs, passive engagement (attending to instruction without overt participation) related positively to grades, whereas among Jews, active engagement (participation, initiative) related positively to grades. These patterns plausibly reflect cultural orientations toward authority and learning behaviors—greater deference to authority and system-defined expectations in the Arab student context versus more autonomous, proactive engagement among Jewish-origin students. The negative association between active engagement and grades among Arab students in regression, alongside the positive link for passive engagement, further underscores these culturally contingent pathways. The interaction showing that older Arab students who report greater willingness to invest effort attain lower grades suggests potential tensions between effort investment and effective strategies or structural constraints that intensify with age (e.g., competing responsibilities), or shifts in cultural orientations across cohorts. Overall, the study demonstrates that the same motivational constructs can relate differently to achievement across cultural groups, highlighting the necessity of culturally responsive approaches to fostering academic success.

This study contributes evidence that motivational patterns and their links to academic achievement differ between Jewish- and Arab-origin undergraduates studying together. Jewish-origin students reported higher willingness to invest effort and greater challenge-seeking and attained higher final grades. Crucially, active engagement predicted higher grades among Jewish students, whereas passive engagement predicted higher grades among Arab students. Among Arab students, age moderated the relationship between willingness to invest effort and grades, with a negative association among older students. These findings suggest that culturally grounded perceptions of authority, engagement, and effort shape how motivation translates into achievement. Future research should: (a) incorporate qualitative work to validate motivation taxonomies from students’ perspectives; (b) measure cultural variables directly (e.g., collectivism, conformity, authority perceptions) to model mechanisms; (c) examine subgroup heterogeneity within Arab (Muslim, Christian, Druze) and Jewish populations; (d) test generalizability across institutions with different group compositions; and (e) design and evaluate interventions that align learning goals with cultural contexts, particularly for low-SES students, emphasizing both technical skills and goal perceptions.

- Measurement taxonomy: Motivation types were derived from existing instruments; the study did not validate whether these categories reflect participants’ own motivation taxonomy. - Sample scope and subgrouping: Modest sample size from one mixed institution; no analysis of subgroups within Arab (Muslim, Christian, Druze) or Jewish populations, which may influence results. - Context specificity: Conducted in a single college with roughly equal group representation; findings may not generalize to other institutions or distributions. The study also did not directly measure cultural constructs (e.g., collectivism, authority orientation) or perceived threat/challenge, which could clarify mechanisms.