The Influence Of Academic Self-Concept On Academic Achievement And Its Neural Basis

Academic self-concept(ASC),which was defined as the relative stable cognition,experience and evaluation of individual in the academic context(Guo,2006),was closely related to course selection(Marsh & Yeung,1997),achievement goals(Niepel,Brunner & Preckel,2014),academic interest(Marsh et al.,2010)and academic achievement(Marsh & O’Mara,2008),were thus considered as a significant goal of education.Researchers have proposed three models to describe the relationship between ASC and academic achievement: the Self-Enhancement Model(ASC could significantly predict achievement,but achievement has no effect on ASC),the Skill-Development Model(achievement could significantly predict ASC,but ASC has no effect on achievement)and the Reciprocal Effects Model(ASC and achievement are mutually related,and includes self-enhancement effect and skill-development effect)(Calsyn & Kenny,1977;Marsh & Craven,2006).As Marsh et al.(2011)and Shavelson et al.(1976)mentioned,achievement is the main source of the formation of ASC,so there is no need to argue the effect of achievement on ASC,that is skill-development effect.Many empirical studies have provided support for the skill development effect,but there was still much controversy over the self-enhancement effect(e.g.,Viljaranta et al.,2014;Skaalvik & Val(?)s,1999;Niepel,Brunner,& Preckel,2014).Aware of the importance of self-concept to a range of psychological,behavioral and social outcomes,researchers have developed many intervention programs which relied the hypothesis of self-enhancement effect aimed at improving ASC(Marsh,Richards,& Barnes,1986).However,it is unknown whether this hypothesis holds.To this end,Study 1 used a meta-analysis approach from a behavioral perspective to comprehensively explore the relationship between ASC and academic achievement,verify the self-enhancement effect and the moderators that affect the relationship between the two constructs.Study 2 further examined the neural basis underlying the self-enhancement effect from a neuroscience perspective.Study 1 conducted a meta-analysis of 59 longitudinal studies that explored the relationship between ASC and achievement in recent decades to explore the longitudinal relationship between the two constructs,examine the self-enhancement effect and the moderators.It was found that ASC and achievement in the same domain affected each other mutually,supporting the Reciprocal Effects Model,and provided strong evidence for the self-enhancement effect.The moderator analyses showed that the effect of achievement on ASC was significantly moderated by students’ age and time lags between measurement waves,whereas the effect of ASC on achievement was significantly moderated by students’ age,achievement level and types of achievement measurement.Based on Study 1,Study 2 combined behavioral data and f MRI data to further explore the impact of ASC on academic achievement and its neural basis from the perspective of neuroscience.Hierarchical regression analysis showed that after controlling T1 academic achievement and the individual’s ASC,academic competence perception and academic emotional experience could still significantly predict their future academic achievements,which validates the self-enhancement effect again.VBM results found that the gray matter volume(GMV)of left dl PFC and dm PFC was significantly negatively related to ASC,and the GMV of the left dl PFC could significantly predict students’ academic achievement at T2.In addition,the results of mediation analysis revealed that the GMV of left dl PFC plays a part mediating role in the effect of T1 ASC,academic competence perception and academic emotional experience on T2 achievement.Thus,left dl PFC may be the neural basis underlying the influence of ASC on achievement.In summary,the present study found that:(1)the relationship between ASC and achievement conformed the Reciprocal Effects Model,which validated the self-enhancement effect of ASC.(2)the effect of achievement on ASC was significantly moderated by students’ age and time lags between measurement waves,whereas the effect of ASC on achievement was significantly moderated by students’ age,achievement level and types of achievement measurement;(3)the neural basis of ASC may be the left dl PFC and dm PFC,and the left dl PFC may be the neural basis of ASC affecting academic achievement.This study explored the self-enhancement effect of ASC and its neural basis from the perspectives of behavior and neuroscience.Theoretically,this study can resolve the debate on the relationship between ASC and achievement,verify the self-enhancement effect,provide evidence for intervention projects aiming at improving self-concept,and preliminary explore the biomarkers of ASC and its influence on achievement.In practice,neuro intervention techniques(such as TMS,t DCS)could be used to help students establish positive ASC,thereby improving achievement.