How Classmates' Gender Stereotypes Affect Students' Math Self-Concepts: A Multilevel Analysis

Gender-moderated effects of academic self-concept on achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy: A systematic review

Although academic self-concept plays a crucial role in promoting students' education, there is a paucity of studies simultaneously exploring the gender-moderated effects of academic self-concept. This study aimed to explore gender-moderated effects of academic self-concept on achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy. With Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P) and STARLITE criteria, this study screened and assessed the retrieved literature, finally including 53 studies. It was concluded that academic self-concept exerted a positive influence on improving achievement, enhancing motivation, ameliorating performance, and boosting self-efficacy. It should also be noted that interrelations between academic self-concept and other educational constructs may be much more complicated than expected since gender disparities may moderate the effects of academic self-concept. Gender discrepancies in academic self-concept could account for the gap between male students and female students in subject-specific achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy, especially in STEM courses. Teaching interventions and educational policies should be taken to enhance female students' STEM courses self-concept. Future studies should promote educational equality, highlight academic self-concept of special groups, and enhance academic self-concept in online learning.

Systematic review registration

https://osf.io/uxjnv/?view_only=b10db44d34154d96a361c159ca15a5b5.

The role of classroom- and individual-level teen stereotypes in Chinese adolescents' academic adjustment: A multilevel analysis

Adolescence is often portrayed in a negative light in Western culture, with teens being viewed as rebellious and irresponsible. Yet, there is substantial cultural and individual variability in views of teens. The empirical research to date is limited in that it mainly examines whether teen stereotypes are influential at the individual level. Teen stereotypes might also be perpetuated at the classroom level, which may have important implications for adolescent adjustment over time. Focusing on adolescents in Chinese culture where the teen years are often viewed in a positive light, this two-wave longitudinal study employed multi-level analyses to investigate whether stereotypes of adolescence at the classroom level play a role in Chinese adolescents' academic adjustment over time (N = 785; 55% girls; mean age = 12.96 years). Consistent with prior research on views of teens, the present analyses suggested that teen stereotypes regarding family obligation and school engagement at the individual level predicted adolescents' value of school and self-regulated learning strategies over the seventh grade. More importantly, classroom-level teen stereotypes were also largely predictive of adolescents' value of school and self-regulated learning strategies over time, controlling for their earlier academic adjustment, individual-level teen stereotypes, and classroom-level adjustment. Taken together, these findings indicate that stereotypes of adolescence in classroom or peer settings may contribute to adolescents' academic adjustment during this phase. The findings also provide a potential foundation for interventions aimed at promoting adolescents' positive development via changing teen stereotypes in the classroom.

An Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis of the Joint Effects of Social, Dimensional, and Temporal Comparisons on Students’ Academic Self-Concepts

Previous research has shown that three comparison types are involved in the formation of students’ academic self-concepts: social comparisons (where students compare their achievement with their classmates), dimensional comparisons (where students compare their achievement in different subjects), and temporal comparisons (where students compare their achievement across time). The 2I/E model provides a framework to describe the joint effects of these comparisons. To date, it has been tested in 12 empirical studies. However, integration of these findings is lacking, especially in terms of yielding reliable estimates of the strength of social, dimensional, and temporal comparison effects. We therefore conducted an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis, in which we reanalyzed the data used in all prior 2I/E model studies (N = 45,248). This IPD meta-analysis provided strong support for the 2I/E model: There were moderate social comparison effects, small to moderate dimensional comparison effects, and small temporal comparison effects on students’ math and verbal self-concepts. Moreover, several moderating variables affected the strength of these effects. In particular, the social and temporal comparison effects were stronger in studies using grades instead of test scores as achievement indicators. Older students showed weaker social comparison effects but stronger dimensional comparison effects compared to younger students. Social comparison effects were also stronger in academic track schools compared to nonacademic track schools. Gender and migration background had only very small impacts on the strength of single comparison effects. In sum, this IPD meta-analysis significantly enhances our knowledge of comparison making in the process of students’ self-concept formation.