ABSTRACT
The study of the motivational characteristics of African American students has a long history in psychological research, in an attempt to determine the origins of this group’s persistent underachievement in school. Although the achievement motivation of African Americans has undergone extensive investigation in psychological research, the theories, assumptions, and explanations offered have not received consistent support (Kaplan & Maehr, 1999). Early studies narrowly defined the achievement motivation of African Americans as lacking and negative, whereas contemporary research often takes a more holistic approach and views their motivation in context and as positive and adaptive.
