An extension to the internal/external frame of reference model to two verbal and numerical domains

Abstract

Beside interindividual social comparisons, intraindividual dimensional comparisons in which students compare their achievements in one subject with their achievements in other subjects have an impact on their academic self-concepts. The internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model by Marsh (1986) assumes that dimensional comparisons lead to negative paths from achievement in one subject (e.g., math) to self-concept in another subject (e.g., English). In the present study, the I/E model was extended to two verbal domains (German as the native language and English as a foreign language) and two numerical domains (mathematics and physics). Grades and domain-specific academic self-concepts ofN=1440 students from 63 classes were assessed. In support of the extended I/E model, (a) math, physics, German, and English achievement were positively correlated, as were; (b) self-conceptswithin the verbal and numerical domains, while; (c) self-conceptsbetween the verbal and the numerical domains were almost uncorrelated; (d) positive paths were received from math, physics, German, and English achievement on the corresponding self-concepts; (e) negative paths were found from achievement in one domain to self-concept in the other; (f) positive paths were found from math (physics) achievement to physics (math) self-concept. Finally, (g), almost no effects were found within the verbal domain, i.e., from English (German) achievement to German (English) self-concept. Therefore, there is some support for the I/E model between domains; whereas effects from achievements on self-concepts within the domains were not negative.