The emergent academic self-image of first graders: its response to social structure.
One aim of this investigation was to determine the kinds of information a large and racially diverse sample of urban first-grade children take into account in forging their image of an academic self, especially the extent to which evaluations of significant others versus self-evaluations are influential. Another aim was to determine whether the nascent academic self-image affects the school achievement of these first-grade children. There was no difference in children's academic self-image according to race or parent background, but children of the 2 sexes defined their images differently. Girls' images strongly reflected stereotypic sex-role notions; boys' images reflected instrumental role concerns. Math performance was relevant only for boys. Boys depended more on self-evaluations than girls did, while girls depended more on parents' evaluations. Black girls were the only group for whom the academic self-image was a significant influence on achievement gains over first grade. The discussion points up the correspondence between these findings and what has been found for adolescents.
Entwisle
D R
DR
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218.
Alexander
K L
KL
Pallas
A M
AM
Cadigan
D
D
D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment