The Developmental Dynamics between Interest, Self-concept of Ability, and Academic Performance

Jaana Viljaranta,Asko Tolvanen,Kaisa Aunola,Jari-Erik Nurmi

doi:10.1080/00313831.2014.904419

Jaana Viljaranta, Asko Tolvanen + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2014.904419

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Abstract

Only a few studies have examined the direction of associations between academic achievement, interest, and self-concept of ability simultaneously by using longitudinal data over several school years. To examine the cross-lagged relationships between students' interest, self-concept of ability, and performance in mathematics and reading, longitudinal data from Grade 1 to Grade 7 of comprehensive school was gathered from 216 students. The results showed that, in both reading and math, performance predicted students' subsequent self-concept of ability. Some evidence was also found that math performance predicts subsequent interest in mathematics, and that self-concept of math ability mediates the impact of math performance on interest. No evidence was found for the assumption that self-concept of ability or interest would predict subsequent academic performance.

Highlights

It has been suggested that highly motivated students with positive beliefs about their own abilities and competencies show high effort and engagement in learning (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Wigfield, Eccles, & Rodriguez, 1998), and, do well at school (Eccles, Wigfield, Harold, & Blumenfield, 1993; Murphy & Alexander, 2000)
The present study examined the following research questions: 1) Does students’ academic performance in mathematics and reading predict their self-concept of ability and interest? Does the self-concept of ability mediate the impact of academic performance on interest? We hypothesized that academic performance would predict later self-concept of ability (Hypothesis 1a) (Marsh et al, 2005) and interest (Hypothesis 1b) (Deci et al, 1991; Gottfried, 1990; Skaalvik & Valas, 1999), and that the self-concept of ability would mediate the impact of academic performance on interest (Hypothesis 1c) (Eccles et al, 1983)
In the second step of the analyses, separate models that combined the previous models for academic performance, self-concept of ability, and interest were created for a) math (Figure 3) and b) reading (Figure 4)

Summary

Introduction

It has been suggested that highly motivated students with positive beliefs about their own abilities and competencies show high effort and engagement in learning (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Wigfield, Eccles, & Rodriguez, 1998), and, do well at school (Eccles, Wigfield, Harold, & Blumenfield, 1993; Murphy & Alexander, 2000). Learning outcomes and related feedback, such as grades, provide a basis for later competence beliefs and learning motivation (Eccles et al, 1983; Spinath &Spinath, 2005). Previous research on motivation and school performance has, two limitations. The majority of the previous studies has been cross-sectional or has concentrated only on relatively short time periods in students’ school career. The present study investigated the cross-lagged associations between students’ interest in reading and matehematics, related self-concept of ability, and school performance from 1st to 7th grade

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