Gender Differences and Similarities in Reading Motivation from the Perspective of Social Cognitive Theory

Abstract

The pertinent literature lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework to explain gender differences and similarities in reading motivation. Research on the role of gender in reading motivation has yielded inconclusive results with no consensus. Additionally, theoretical research to interpret the mixed results in reading motivation are scarce, especially from the perspective of social cognitive theory (SCT). This study aimed to clarify these mixed results by providing a theoretical explanation covering the broad range of gender differences and similarities in reading motivation from the SCT perspective. This analysis of the manifestation of gender roles through observational model learning and the triadic reciprocal interaction between personal, behavioural, and environmental processes provided new insights into the nuanced complexities of gender roles in reading motivation.