Self-Concept
The Interplay of Theory and Methods
ResearchPublished 1981
The enhancement of students' self-concepts is valued as a goal of education and as a moderator and perhaps a cause of scholastic achievement. Conceptual and methodological problems, however, plague research and evaluations involving self-concept. This paper attempts to advance self-concept theory by testing some of its critical assumptions and presents recent methods that integrate measurement, statistics, and theory into one conceptual analytical framework. The authors conclude that self-concept is multi-faceted construct and that it can be distinguished from academic achievement, although the two are correlated. Self-concept is a hierarchical construct with general self-concept at the apex and situation-specific self-concept at the base. The study results suggest the causal predominance of self-concept over achievement. Further research is suggested.
Document Details
- Copyright: RAND Corporation
- Availability: Available
- Year: 1981
- Print Format: Paperback
- Paperback Pages: 37
- Paperback Price: $20.00
- Document Number: P-6607
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Shavelson, Richard J. and Roger E. Bolus, Self-Concept: The Interplay of Theory and Methods, RAND Corporation, P-6607, 1981. As of September 11, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P6607.html
Shavelson, Richard J. and Roger E. Bolus, Self-Concept: The Interplay of Theory and Methods. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1981. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P6607.html. Also available in print form.
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