Dimensional comparisons in subject-specific academic self-concepts and achievements: A quasi-experimental approach

Abstract

Even though marks in different subjects are substantially correlated, the corresponding self-concepts often display a very weak association. The ''InternaleExternal Frame of Reference Model'' (I/E-model;Marsh, H. W. (1986). Verbal and math self-concepts: an internal/external frame of reference model. American Educational Research Journal, 23, 129e149) explains this finding: social comparisons (resulting in positive correlations of the self-concepts) and dimensional comparisons (resulting in negative correlations of the self-concepts) are confounded. A rarely tested hypothesis derived from the I/E-model is that the dimensional comparison process only affects the self-concepts, if the students achieve differently in the corresponding subjects. In a sample of N Z 1508 students (grades 7 and 8), low correlations of the self-concepts for four subjects could be observed only in students displaying different school-marks in the corresponding subjects. In students who have the same marks in different subjects, the self-concepts showed a substantial positive correlation.

Measuring Self-Perceptions of Oral Narrative Competencies and Anxiety in the EFL Context

“…Thereby this finding contributed conceptually to extend the current research concerning the IE-model suggesting to consider the learners' competence beliefs and affective values more closely (Goetz, Frenzel, Hall & Pekrun, 2008;Jacobs, Lanza, Osgood, Eccles & Wigfield, 2002;Skaalvik & Valås, 1999), and it could differentiate and refine the model's scope with regard to the EFL context. Further research should clarify to which extent such contrasting effects might be dependent not only on comparative self-estimations but as well on intraindividually existing achievement differences between various subjects (Rost, Sparfeldt, Dickhäuser & Schilling, 2005). It should also strive for further analyses to explain the present finding that dimensional comparison effects could be substantiated only from L2 to L1 constructs.…”

“…Hence, learners with individually high competencies in one domain or subject will tend to underestimate their competencies in another domain or subject. Provided that the students really perceive their outcomes in various subjects as different (Rost, Sparfeldt, Dickhäuser & Schilling, 2005), this dimensional comparison shall lead to a substantially negative relationship between the achievement in a weaker subject and the self-concept in a stronger subject -and vice versa.…”

“…However, those studies analyzing the relations between self-concept and achievement variables within the language domain mostly showed no significant path coefficients between selfconcept and achievement across both languages (Dickhäuser, 2005;Möller, Streblow, Pohlmann & Köller, 2006;Pohlmann, 2005;Rost, Sparfeldt, Dickhäuser & Schilling, 2005).…”

Academic Self-Efficacy of High Achieving Students in Mexico

“…A grid allows to measure a given dimension or trait across various dimensions. There is also ample evidence of their reliability, validly and practical value in assessing a variety of psychological traits in school settings (Rost, Spartfeldt, Dickhauser, & Schilling, 2005).…”

Does Gender Moderate Dimensional Comparison Effects in L1 and L2 Self-Concepts of Secondary Foreign Language Learners?

“…Provided that the students really perceive their outcomes in various subjects as different (Rost, Sparfeldt, Dickhäuser & Schilling, 2005;Skaalvik & Rankin, 1992), this dimensional comparison shall lead to a substantially negative relationship between the achievement in a weaker subject and the self-concept in a stronger subject -and vice versa. This seems paradoxical because, at first glance, theoretically inexplicable negative associations between academic achievement and self-concept variables can be traced back to dimensional comparison processes.…”