The Role of Gender Role Socialization in Mediating the Influence of Cultural Background on Educational Motivation of Chinese and American Gen Z Women

This study aims to explore how gender role socialization acts as a mediating variable to regulate the influence of cultural background on the educational motivation of Gen Z women in China and the United States. Using the systemized literature review method and based on the Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT), this paper proposes a theoretical framework that posits that cultural background (collectivism vs. individualism) does not directly determine educational motivation. Instead, it shapes different gender role expectations through socialization channels such as family, school, media, and peers, thereby influencing whether women perceive education as an intrinsic or instrumental value. Chinese Generation Z women, under collectivist cultural norms, tend to emphasize the practical value of education (such as economic security and family responsibilities), while American Generation Z women, influenced by individualist cultural upbringing, place greater emphasis on the intrinsic value of education (such as self-actualization and personal expression). To understand the educational choices of Gen Z women, we must adopt a cross-cultural perspective and consider the interaction between cultural and gender factors, which provides inspiration for educational practice and policy making.