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The Decision for Shadow Education in Japan: Students’ Choice or Parents’ Pressure?

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  • Steve R. ENTRICH

Abstract

Following decision theory (Boudon, Raymond. 1974. Education, Opportunity, and Social Inequality: Changing Prospects in Western Society. New York: Wiley.), social origin strongly affects educational decisions, especially at transition points in educational attainment. In Japan, the fierce competition in gaining access to the next level of schooling intensifies the impact of educational decisions on students’ future careers. In addition to selecting a certain school, families are forced to decide whether or not to invest in shadow education. Thus far, socioeconomic background and parents’ educational aspirations, in conjunction with students’ academic achievement, have been deemed influential to such decisions in Japan. The agency of the student is rarely even considered. Based on calculations from the 2011 Hyōgo High School Students’ (HHSS) survey, the theoretical approach presented in this article stresses the importance of acknowledging the existence of a multitude of actors involved in each phase of the decision-making process, including the students themselves, especially when explaining inequalities in modern societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Steve R. ENTRICH, 2015. "The Decision for Shadow Education in Japan: Students’ Choice or Parents’ Pressure?," Social Science Japan Journal, University of Tokyo and Oxford University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 193-216.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:sscijp:v:18:y:2015:i:2:p:193-216.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ssjj/jyv012
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    Cited by:

    1. Leschnig, Lisa & Schwerdt, Guido & Zigova, Katarina, 2022. "Central exams and adult skills: Evidence from PIAAC," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    2. Naomi Takashiro, 2021. "Determinants of Middle School Students’ Participation in Shadow Education in Japan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(3), pages 1119-1136, June.
    3. Minda Tan & Shuiyun Liu, 2023. "A Way of Human Capital Accumulation: Heterogeneous Impact of Shadow Education on Students’ Academic Performance in China," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.

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