Who values passion in education?

Passion predicts student performance more effectively in individualistic than collectivistic contexts. Across three studies, this research examined cultural differences in the perceived value of passion through its signaling, evaluation, and regulation. While Euro- American college applicants referenced passion more frequently than East Asian counterparts in application essays, these references negatively predicted U.S. admission outcomes. Chinese and Japanese faculty prioritized passion as an evaluative criterion in student selection more than American faculty. Furthermore, country-level individualism negatively predicted teachers' upregulation of student passion across 24 societies. Building on the theory of cultural models of motivation, these findings suggest the cultural shaping of a dual motivational regulatory framework and highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of passion’s perceived value in education across societies.