Big-fish-little-pond effect on academic self-concept. A cross-cultural (26-country) test of the negative effects of academically selective schools.

Journal article

Academically selective schools are intended to affect academic self-concept positively, but theoretical and empirical research demonstrates that the effects are negative. The big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE), an application of social comparison theory to educational settings, posits that a student will have a lower academic self-concept in an academically selective school than in a nonselective school. This study, the largest cross-cultural study of the BFLPE ever undertaken, tested theoretical predictions for nationally representative samples of approximately 4,000 15-year-olds from each of 26 countries (N = 103,558) who completed the same self-concept instrument and achievement tests. Consistent with the BFLPE, the effects of school-average achievement were negative in all 26 countries (M beta = -.20, SD = .08), demonstrating the BFLPE's cross-cultural generalizability.

Authors: Marsh, H; Hau, K

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: American psychologist
• Volume: 58
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 364-376
• Publication date: 2003-05-01
• DOI: 10.1037/0003-066x.58.5.364
• EISSN: 1935-990X
• ISSN: 0003-066X
• Language: English
• Keywords: Adolescent; Students; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Self Concept; Humans; Female; Male; Educational Status