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A Meta-Analytic Path Analysis of the Internal/External Frame of Reference Model of Academic Achievement and Academic Self-Concept

University of Kiel

Olaf Köller

Humboldt-University Berlin

Herb W. Marsh

Oxford University

JENS MÖLLER is full professor of educational psychology, University of Kiel; Olshausenstr. 70, D-24098, Kiel, Germany; e-mail: jmoeller{at}psychologie.uni-kiel.de. His main research interests are self-concept, reading, and cooperative teaching.

BRITTA POHLMANN is junior professor of educational psychology, University of Kiel, Olshausenstr. 70, D-24098, Kiel, Germany; e-mail: pohlmann{at}psychologie.uni-kiel.de. Her main research interests are self-concept and teacher motivation.

OLAF KÖLLER is full professor of education, Humboldt-University Berlin, Institut zur Qualitätsentwicklung im Bildungswesen, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6 D-10099 Berlin, Germany; e-mail: olaf.koeller{at}cms.hu-berlin.de. His main research interests are evaluation, methodology, and self-concept.

HERB W. MARSH is full professor of educational psychology, Education, Oxford University, 15 Norham Gardens Road, Oxford, OX2 6PY, UK; e-mail: herb.marsh{at}education.ox.ac.uk. His main research interests are self-concept, methodology, and multivariate statistics.

A meta-analysis of 69 data sets (N = 125,308) was carried out on studies that simultaneously evaluate the effects of math and verbal achievements on math and verbal self-concepts. As predicted by the internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model, math and verbal achievements were highly correlated overall (.67), but the correlation between math and verbal self-concepts (.10) was close to zero. Correlations between math and verbal achievement and correlations between achievements and self-concepts within the domains were more positive when grades instead of standardized test results were used as achievement indicators. A path analysis revealed support for the I/E model, with positive paths from achievement to the corresponding self-concepts (.61 for math, .49 for verbal) and negative paths from achievement in one subject to self-concept in the other subject (–.21 from math achievement on verbal self-concept, –.27 from verbal achievement to math self-concept). Furthermore, results showed that the I/E model is valid for different age groups, gender groups, and countries. The I/E model did not fit the data when self-efficacy measures were used instead of self-concept measures. These results demonstrate the broad scope of the I/E model as an adequate description of students’ self-evaluation processes as they are influenced by internal and external frames of reference.

Key Words: I/E model • comparison processes • self-concept • ability beliefs

Review of Educational Research, Vol. 79, No. 3, 1129-1167 (2009)
DOI: 10.3102/0034654309337522


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