Adolescents' learning environments and aspirations: ethnic, gender, and social-status group differences

Discriminant analysis was used to examine relationships between social groups, defined jointly by ethnic group membership, gender, and social-status background, and measures of adolescents' perception of family and school learning environments and their educational and occupational aspirations. In the sample there were 400 16-yr.-old Australians from AngloAustralian, Greek, and Southern Italian families. The findings suggest that, if adolescents are classified in social groups defined by ethnicity, gender, and social status, then there are strong social-group differences in adolescents' perceptions of learning environments and in their aspirations.