Earning Its Place as a Pan-Human Theory: Universality of the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect Across 41 Culturally and Economically Diverse Countries

For more than 2 decades, big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) research has demonstrated that students in high-ability classes and schools have lower academic self-concepts than their equally able counterparts in mixed-ability schools. However, cross-cultural BFLPE research has been limited to mostly...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of educational psychology 2009-05, Vol.101 (2), p.403-419
Main Authors: Seaton, Marjorie, Marsh, Herbert W, Craven, Rhonda G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Academic Self Concept
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Cognitive ability
Collectivism
Cross Cultural Differences
Developed Countries
Developed Nations
Developing Countries
Economic Development
Educational Practices
Educational psychology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Individualism
Multicultural education
Outcomes of Education
Program for International Student Assessment
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure
Questionnaires
Self Concept
Social Comparison
Social Values
Sociocultural Factors
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Summary:For more than 2 decades, big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) research has demonstrated that students in high-ability classes and schools have lower academic self-concepts than their equally able counterparts in mixed-ability schools. However, cross-cultural BFLPE research has been limited to mostly developed and individualist countries. Using the Program for International Student Assessment database ( Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2005a , 2005b ), the present investigation assessed the BFLPE in 41 culturally and economically diverse countries. In support of the BFLPE, the effect of school-average self-concept was negative for the total sample (effect size = −.49), negative for each of the 41 countries considered separately, and statistically significant in 38 countries. In this large, culturally diverse sample of countries, the BFLPE was evident in both collectivist and individualist cultures and in economically developing and developed nations. Implications for BFLPE theory and educational practice are discussed.
ISSN:0022-0663
1939-2176
DOI:10.1037/a0013838