Class-average achievement and chosen upward comparisons each make substantial, unique negative contributions to math self-beliefs when modeled simultaneously¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 2008 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? In the Marsh et al. (2008) German study, both class-average achievement (generalized other) and choosing a more able comparison target (upward comparison, specific other) had significant negative effects on mathematics self-beliefs, each making unique contributions in a combined model. → Marsh 2008

Evidence¶

Marsh 2008¶

Marsh, H. W., Seaton, M., Trautwein, U., Lüdtke, O., Hau, K. T., O'Mara, A. J., & Craven, R. G. (2008). The Big-fish–little-pond-effect Stands Up to Critical Scrutiny: Implications for Theory, Methodology, and Future Research. Educ Psychol Rev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-008-9075-6

q2 · i? · review · r1

Narrative review of Marsh et al. (2008), a study in which students completed a mathematics test, nominated a comparison target, and rated mathematics agency. The review reports that in the combined model "the negative effects of both class-average achievement and upward social comparison were significant from a statistical perspective and substantively meaningful."

"the negative effects of both class-average achievement and upward social comparison were significant from a statistical perspective and substantively meaningful"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The BFLPE is domain-specific: school-average achievement affects academic self-concept but not global self-esteem or non-academic self-concept — related
• Reanalyses of SCT choice-paradigm studies support the BFLPE, which was not moderated by students' chosen comparison targets — related
• The negative contrast effect of high school-average achievement outweighs a weaker positive assimilation (reflected glory) effect — related
• Equally able students have lower academic self-concepts in high-average-ability schools (the BFLPE), with a cross-national effect size of 0.49 — related
• The BFLPE generalizes across countries, cultures, settings, and long-term follow-ups — a broader claim this one bears on
• Class-average achievement negatively predicts mathematics self-concept after controlling individual achievement (BFLPE replication in TIMSS 2019) — related
• Classroom-average mathematics achievement shows no statistically significant association with ASC development when clique achievement is modeled simultaneously — reports the opposite
• Clique-average mathematics achievement negatively predicts the development of adolescents' academic self-concept (a BFLPE at the clique level) — related
• Equally able students report lower academic self-concepts in high-achieving classrooms than in low-achieving classrooms (the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect) — related
• Schoolmates' achievement (big-fish-little-pond effect) relates only to academic self-concepts, not to labor market beliefs or disengagement — related
• BFLPE is stronger on the regular class level and strongest on the domain-specific math class level — related