Beliefs About Academic Potential: Conceptual Development and Consequences for Academic Outcomes

• In Event: Current Theoretical Perspectives and Methodological Approaches in Underachievement Research

Abstract

A great deal of research has investigated the role of self-focused beliefs, including self-efficacy, self-concept, and self-worth in learning-related outcomes. However, students’ beliefs about their academic potential has yet to be the focus of study. We propose that perceived academic potential (or the degree to which an individual believes he or she possesses innate qualities that would allow them to develop academic abilities and skills in the future) may serve as an important motivator of achievement-related behavior. Likewise, the extent to which an individual experiences comfort, solace, or satisfaction as a result of the beliefs they hold regarding their academic potential may be also be a powerful motivator that propels behaviors necessary for developing, maintaining, and demonstrating academic skills. To investigate these hypotheses, the structure and predictive validity of a newly developed measure of beliefs about academic potential was investigated in a series of three studies.

In Study 1, 170 college students completed 28 items regarding their beliefs about academic potential. These 28 items were submitted to an exploratory factor analysis and were found to form a strong two factor structure: one factor reflected students’ perceived academic potential (reduced to 6 items) and another factor reflected solace in that academic potential (reduced to 7 items). Both factors had excellent internal consistency (a = .86 and .91) and all items loaded on their respective factors strongly (> .60). There was a small correlation (.24) between the factors.

In a second study with 221 college students, the structure of the measure was reconfirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. After removing one item from the solace in academic potential subscale, a two-factor structure fit the data well. Further, the subscales appeared to be distinguishable from related constructs. Specifically, perceived academic potential demonstrated a moderate correlation with self-esteem, academic self-concept, and academic self-efficacy. Solace in academic potential was not related to any other self-focused construct. Neither subscale was related to social desirability.

In Study 3, 170 college students completed the beliefs about academic potential scale at the beginning and end of a semester. The scales demonstrated stability over time (r = .65 for both scales) and predicted academic outcomes. Students’ perceived academic potential at the beginning of the semester positively predicted their later achievement orientation, academic possible selves, behavioral and emotional engagement in class, effort on schoolwork, and negatively predicted self-handicapping and underachievement. Greater solace in potential predicted a weaker achievement orientation. Further, the effect of solace on other learning-related outcomes varied depending on the sex and level of perceived academic potential of the student. Solace predicted greater underachievement and self-handicapping among individuals with lower perceptions of academic potential and for males in particular. Greater solace also related to lower behavioral engagement and effort particularly for males with higher perceived academic potential. Finally, greater solace appeared to be adaptive in some classes. Namely, greater solace predicted greater emotional engagement among males with lower perceived academic potential and greater emotional engagement and effort among females with higher perceived academic potential.

Authors

• Erika Alisha Patall, The University of Texas - Austin

• Christina M. Cestone, The University of Texas - Medical Branch at Galveston