An extension to the internal/external frame of reference model to two verbal and numerical domains

Moeller J, Streblow L, Pohlmann B, Koeller O. An extension to the internal/external frame of reference model to two verbal and numerical domains. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION. 2006;21(4):467-487.Beside interindividual social comparisons, intraindividual dimensional comparisons in which students compare their achievements in one subject with their achievements in other subjects have an impact on their academic self-concepts. The internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model by Marsh (1986) assumes that dimensional comparisons lead to negative paths from achievement in one subject (e.g., math) to self-concept in another subject (e.g., English). In the present study, the I/E model was extended to two verbal domains (German as the native language and English as a foreign language) and two numerical domains (mathematics and physics). Grades and domain-specific academic self-concepts of N= 1440 students from 63 classes were assessed In support of the extended I/E model, (a) math, physics, German, and English achievement were positively correlated, as were; (b) se flconcepts within the verbal and numerical domains, while; (c) self-concepts between the verbal and the numerical domains were almost uncorrelated; (d) positive paths were received from math, physics, German, and English achievement on the corresponding self-concepts; (e) negative paths were found from achievement in one domain to self-concept in the other; (f) positive paths were found from math (physics) achievement to physics (math) self-concept. Finally, (g), almost no effects were found within the verbal domain, i.e., from English (German) achievement to German (English) self-concept. Therefore, there is some support for the I/E model between domains; whereas effects from achievements on self-concepts within the domains were not negative