Top-down, bottom-up, and horizontal models: the direction of causality in multidimensional, hierarchical self-concept models.
A new structural equation modeling approach to questions of the direction of causal flow between global and specific multidimensional measures of self-concept (SC) in two 2-wave, longitudinal studies demonstrated that (a) higher order factors were unable to explain relations among first-order factors at Time 1 (T1), at Time 2 (T2), or between T1 and T2; (b) T1 global SC had little effect on specific SC factors at T2 (a top-down model), but specific factors at T1 had even less effect on T2 global SC (a bottom-up model); and (c) many specific factors were more stable than global factors, but higher order factors were most stable. Results provide little support for top-down, bottom-up, or reciprocal models, instead arguing for a horizontal model in which each T2 SC factor is primarily a function of the matching T1 SC. This casts further doubt on the usefulness of hierarchical representations of SC.
Marsh
H W
HW
Faculty of Education, University of Western Sydney at Macarthur, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia. h.marsh@uws.edu.au
Yeung
A S
AS
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept