Subject similarity moderates dimensional comparison effects: far comparisons (e.g., math vs. verbal) yield strong contrast effects, near comparisons yield weaker contrast or assimilation effects¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2–q3
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? DCT assumes far comparisons lead to strong contrast effects while near comparisons lead to much weaker contrast or even assimilation effects, and recent studies support this hypothesis. → Jens Möller 2024 q2 i? In the 2020 meta-analysis, between similar subjects effects were significantly smaller than between dissimilar subjects, and no significant assimilation effects were found. → Jens Möller 2024 (2)

Evidence¶

Jens Möller 2024¶

Jens Möller. (2024). Ten Years of Dimensional Comparison Theory: On the Development of a Theory from Educational Psychology. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09918-6

q2 · i? · review · r2

Narrative review of GI/E model studies comparing subjects along the math-verbal continuum. Contrast effects appeared for math-science comparisons, small assimilation effects for math, physics, and chemistry, and heterogeneous often nonsignificant effects when biology was included.

"DCT assumes that far comparisons, such as those between math and verbal achievement in the classic I/E model studies, lead to dimensional contrast effects."

Jens Möller 2024 (2)¶

Jens Möller. (2024). Ten Years of Dimensional Comparison Theory: On the Development of a Theory from Educational Psychology. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09918-6

q3 · i? · review · r2

Meta-analysis by Möller et al. (2020) of which subject combinations produce contrast versus assimilation effects. Between dissimilar subjects several combinations showed reciprocal contrast effects (math/L2, physics/L1, physics/L2); within the verbal domain (L2/L1) smaller but significant contrast effects emerged.

"Between similar subjects, they found lower contrastive or nonsignificant dimensional comparison effects, but no significant assimilation effects."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Academic Self-Concept — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Dimensional comparisons: achievement–self-concept paths are positive in similar subjects but negative in dissimilar subjects — related
• Dimensional comparison effects extend to subjective task values, with contrast effects strongest for intrinsic value and costs and lowest for utility value, often mediated by self-concept — related
• Dimensional comparisons carried out by teachers and classmates show no contrast effects on students' self-concepts, unlike students' own comparisons — related
• Achievement shows positive within-domain and negative cross-domain effects on academic self-concept and value, replicating dimensional comparison theory — a narrower finding that bears on this claim