The Big-Fish-Little-Pond effect on mathematics self-concept is negative and statistically significant in all three countries under a fully specified doubly latent model¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r3 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2023 · checked against its sources 2026-10-21 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Class-average mathematics achievement has a negative, statistically significant effect on mathematics self-concept in the USA, Canada (Ontario), and New Zealand, with effect sizes from -.606 to -.878. → Televantou 2023

Evidence¶

Televantou 2023¶

Televantou, I., Marsh, H. W., Xu, K. M., Guo, J., & Dicke, T. (2023). Peer Spillover and Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effects with SIMS80: Revisiting a Historical Database Through the Lens of a Modern Methodological Perspective. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09816-3

q3 · i2 · associational · r3

In the integrated doubly latent path model with all covariates, the BFLPE on post-test mathematics self-concept was negative and significant in every country, with printed effect sizes ES = -.606 (USA), ES = -.677 (Canada), and ES = -.878 (New Zealand).

"The BFLPE was found negative and statistically significant for all three countries — USA (β comp = − .281, SD = .091, ES = − .606), Canada (Ontario) (β comp = − .496, SD = .053, ES = − .677), and New Zealand (β comp = − .420, SD = .037, ES = − .878)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Academic Self-Concept — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Class-average achievement shows a small negative indirect effect on subsequent mathematics achievement mediated through mathematics self-concept — related
• When compositional effects are constrained equal across countries, the overall peer spillover effect is negative and non-significant while the BFLPE remains negative and significant — related
• Positive class-level peer spillover effects on mathematics achievement fail to replicate once measurement error is controlled with doubly latent models — related
• Measurement error bias inflates peer spillover effects while attenuating the BFLPE; controls strengthen the BFLPE and weaken the spillover effect — related
• Class-average achievement negatively predicts mathematics self-concept after controlling individual achievement (BFLPE replication in TIMSS 2019) — related
• School-average achievement negatively predicts parent, teacher, and student expectations and parent aspirations, with larger adverse effects for parents and especially teachers than students — related
• School-average achievement negatively predicts academic self-concept (BFLPE) and GPA in the comprehensive doubly-latent model — related
• 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
• The school-level BFLPE on math self-concept is weak once class-level achievement is controlled — related