Effects of Academic Achievement and Gender on Academic and Social Self‐Concept: A Replication Study

Abstract

Female and male eighth‐grade students representing very high, moderately high, and average levels of achievement were compared on measures of academic and social self‐concept. Most of the differences were in academic self‐concept, which was positively related to level of academic achievement. There also was an interaction of gender and academic achievement on academic self‐concept. Average achieving girls had lower academic self‐concept scores than all other groups of students. In addition, boys scored higher than girls on measures of academic self‐concept and job competence. There were no significant differences on any of the social self‐concept measures. The counseling implications of these findings for gifted students and girls of average achievement are discussed.

Self-Concept-As-Learner of Middle Level Students

“…This finding is consistent with research by Kelly and Jordan (1990), in which highly gifted and moderately gifted students were found to score higher than average students on the ME scale, a self-report instrument (Feldhusen & Kolloff, 1981).…”

“…The AAUW study reported that adolescent boys are more likely than girls to perceive themselves as good enough or smart enough to achieve their career aspirations. The finding also conflicts with that of Kelly and Jordan (1990) who found that eighth grade boys scored significantly higher than girls on subscales of Scholastic Competence (Harter, 1985).…”

“…Research by Kelly and Jordan (1990) supports these multidimensions of self concept. These smaller units of personal attributes and categories all have specific personalized significance to individuals but at different levels of importance.…”

Gender differences in developmental assets profile of college going youth: a report from India

“…For example, it is found that young females tend to have less belief in themselves and have lower levels of self-esteem which are components of positive identity. 27,29 However, the findings is not conclusive as there are studies suggest that young females perform better in sense of purpose, which is a component of positive identity. 30 Gender differences was also found in the external asset of support where female participants reporting lower scores on this asset that the male participants, a finding contradictory to the existing literature.…”

“…26 Even for gifted young women, it is found that their career aspirations are lower than men and even when the academic performance was similar, young males reported higher competency. 27 In social competencies also, the young females scored lesser than young males. Though the authors could not find any literature on gender differences in social competencies, a few studies suggest that on different dimensions of this domain, females tend to do less compared to men.…”