The Characteristics And Correlation Study Of Academic Comparison Of Middle School Students

People evaluate their abilities, get to know their statuses in groups and form proper self-concept by comparing with others around, or comparing with their past. In the middle school, students focus on academic performance. So their statuses in classes or schools are mostly determined by their academic ability. It's unavoidable for them to compare their academic performance with others around, or comparing with their past. By this way, they could form through self evaluation and set academic targets. Yet the improper or negative academic comparison could undermine their academic performance, as well as their mental health. The studies existed study the social comparison from the prospective of method, motivation and strategy. The research is limited in terms of scientific measure tool of the academic comparison of middle school students, and its relationship with academic self and achievement. The aim of this research is to (1) structure a model reflecting the academic comparison of middle school students; (2) develop middle school students academic comparison scale with good reliability and variability; (3) explore the developmental characteristics of academic comparison; (4) analyze the relationship of academic comparison, academic self, achievement and self-esteem.These study methods are literature analysis and questionnaire administration. After the literatures review and analysis, the open-ended academic comparison questionnaire and expert consult questionnaire are administrated. The model of academic comparison is structured with those results. On the basis of the model, the premiere questionnaire of academic comparison is developed and distributed. With item analysis, EFA and CFA of the result of the premiere questionnaire, the final questionnaire is developed. The sample is 1171 middle school students from 6 middle schools in the Chongqing and Sichuan area. The differences of gender, grade and school are analyzed. The relationships of academic comparison, academic self, academic achievement and self-esteem are investigated. The results are reported as following:1.The academic comparison of middle school students is formed by academic comparison inclination, academic comparison method and academic comparison motivation.2.No significant gender difference is found in general academic comparison, but it exists in specific dimensions, which are self comparison, upward comparison, downward comparison and self progress.3.Significant grade differences are exist in all dimensions, except the dimension of self-esteem maintenance. The shape of the academic comparison is like M. There are two peaks in 8th and 10th grade, while 9th and 12th graders are at their lowest point.4.There is no significant difference among schools. The significant interactions are found in specific dimensions between grades and schools.5.There are significant reciprocal effects between three sub-scales. The downward comparison method is related to self progress motivation negatively. Upward comparison, parallel comparison and self progress motivation are related positively. Self-esteem and downward comparison is related positively. Self progress motivation and self-esteem maintenance is related negatively. Self confirmation motivation is related positively with three methods of academic comparison.6.Middle school students' comparison inclination is related to academic self positively. Upward comparison and parallel comparison are related to academic self positively. Downward comparison is related to academic pleasure negatively. Self confirmation is related positively to all dimensions of academic self. Self-esteem maintenance is related negatively to academic pleasure and academic achievement value, positively to academic ability perception7.From the relationship of academic comparison and achievement, it is found students with above average achievements has higher comparison inclination, and adopt more positive academic comparison methods and self progress motivation. The students with average achievements possess higher self-esteem maintenance comparison compared with those in other two groups. The student is below average achievements has weak self progress motivation.8.Self-esteem is negatively related to downward comparison and self-esteem maintenance, negatively related to other dimensions. The middle school students with low self-esteem adopt more downward comparisons, has stronger self maintenance motivations. While students with high self-esteem adopt more upward and parallel comparisons, has stronger self progress motivations.9.By the analysis of regression, it's found that dimensions of academic comparison have direct or indirect effects to the academic self.