Abstract
The overarching aim of our research prograrn is to address important societal issues by developing and promoting strategies to optimize self-concept as a valuable outcome and as a means to facilitate the attainment of other valued outcomes, along with a greater awareness of the worth of self in different social and cultural contexts. A positive self-concept is fundamental to all human endeavors, but is particularly relevant for adolescents in educational settings that are so pivotal in determining subsequent life directions and accomplishrnents. Self-concept in educational settings cannot be adequately understood if the role of frames of reference is ignored. Although academic self-concept is positively influenced by one's own academic accomplishments, the ability levels of others in the immediate context negatively influence it. This social comparison frame of reference has been identified in recent studies evaluating the big fish-little pond effect (BFLPE). The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of some exciting new research directions that extend theoretical predictions based on the BFLPE and elaborate the irnportant implications of this research for policy and practice.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Academic Motivation of Adolescents, |
| Editors | Frank Pajares, Timothy C. Urdan |
| Place of Publication | Greenwich, Conn |
| Publisher | Information Age Pub. |
| Pages | 83 - 123 |
| Number of pages | 41 |
| ISBN (Print) | 1931576629 |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 |