What Do They Want in Life?: The Life Goals of a Multi-Ethnic, Multi-Generational Sample of High School Seniors

Esther S Chang,Jutta Heckhausen,Chuansheng Chen,Ellen Greenberger,David Dooley

doi:10.1007/s10964-006-9034-9

Esther S Chang, Jutta Heckhausen + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9034-9

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Abstract

This study investigated ethnic as well as gender and generational similarities and differences in the life goals among graduating high-school seniors. Adolescents came from six ethnic groups: White, African, Mexican, Other Latino, Filipino, and East/Southeast Asian Americans. Their self-articulated medium-range life goals were grouped into 8 major categories such as occupational, educational, familial, and material goals. Group differences in various aspects of future plans, such as priorities given to different life goals, time frame of attainment, and perceived controllability over their attainment, were also examined. Hypothesized group differences based on current social realities and small-scale qualitative studies on ethnic minorities were not found; there were very few ethnic, gender, and generational differences in adolescents’ life goals. All groups reported a higher priority for, earlier expected attainment of, and more control over their medium-range educational and occupational goals than their family-related and material goals. Further, long-term educational and occupational aspirations were high across all groups. There were moderate ethnic differences in educational expectations and none for corresponding career expectations. Thus, current inequalities in educational and occupational attainments across ethnic groups were only partially reflected in the life goals of adolescents on the brink of graduating from high school.

Highlights

The present study addresses adolescent life goals and their potential role in the emergence of educational and occupational disparities between different ethnic groups
In 1998, for example, 33% of Whites and 34% of Asian Americans held managerial and professional white-collar jobs compared to 20% of African Americans and 15% of Hispanics
Contrast, 20% of African Americans and 22% of Hispanics worked as semi- or unskilled workers compared to 12% of Whites and 11% of Asians

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The present study addresses adolescent life goals and their potential role in the emergence of educational and occupational disparities between different ethnic groups. A review of cross-national research has pointed out that adolescents across Western and Eastern countries agreed about the importance of future education and work, but youth from European countries expressed more interest in leisure and happiness and youth from India and Mexico showed more interest in familial goals (Nurmi, 1991) Given such East–West cultural differences, the relative importance of school, work, family, and leisure is expected to change as generational status in the U.S increases. Main research questions of this study concern ethnic similarities and differences in the types of medium-range life goals that adolescents generate, the priorities and other characteristics of these goals, and the long-term aspiration levels of adolescents’ educational and occupational goals. We expect to replicate ethnic group differences in long-term aspiration levels, such that White and both Asian groups would report higher levels than African American and Hispanic groups

Procedure and Participants

RESULTS

DISCUSSION