Differences in exploration of toys by one-year old children: A Korean and American comparison

This study compared the play of Korean and American one-year-olds, to determine differences in behaviors reflective of mastery motivation. The two groups of children exhibited similar levels of mastery behavior (goal-directed exploration); however, the American children used general exploration significantly more than did the Korean children. There were significant differences as well in parental behavior during the play sessions. The two groups of parents also differed with respect both to their percep-tions of their children’s play and to their child-rearing attitudes. It has often been noted that Asian parents focus intently on their children’s achieve-ment in school. It is generally considered to be the case that education is held in high esteem among Asian parents, many of whom make substantial personal sacrifices to assist their children in obtaining good educations (Brand 1987; Hsu 1971; Pitle