Abstract
The contributions of academic achievement motivation and social status to peer-reported academic influence were explored in a sample of 322 children in grades three through five. Latent moderated structural equation modeling indicated that children who value academics are more likely to be rated by peers as academically influential. Social status also explained variability in academic influence, with well-liked and/or perceived popular children receiving more influence nominations than children low in social status. Additionally, social status moderated the relationship between motivation and influence such that children who were high in both academic value and social status were more likely to be nominated as academically influential than children low in those constructs. Contrary to expectations, academic self-efficacy was unrelated to peer-reported academic influence.
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Appendix: Academic motivation
Appendix: Academic motivation
1.1 Academic expectancy
1. If you were to list all of the students in your class from worst to best in schoolwork, where would you put yourself? | One of the worst | In the bottom half, but not the worst | In the middle | In the top half, but not the best | One of the best |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
2. How good at schoolwork are you? | Not good at all | Not very good | Just OK | Pretty good | Very good |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
3. How good would you be at learning something new at school? | Not good at all | Not very good | Just OK | Pretty good | Very good |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
4. How well do you expect to do in school this year? | Not well at all | Not very well | Just OK | Pretty well | Very well |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
1.2 Academic value
1. How much do you like your schoolwork? | Not at all | Not very much | A little | Some | A lot |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
2. How interesting is schoolwork to you? | Not at all | Not very much | A little | Some | A lot |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
3. In general, how useful is what you learn in school? | Not at all | Not very much | A little | Some | A lot |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ | |
4. For me, being good at my schoolwork is … | Not at all important | Not very important | A little important | Pretty important | Very important |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
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Masland, L.C., Lease, A.M. Characteristics of academically-influential children: achievement motivation and social status. Soc Psychol Educ 19, 195–215 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-015-9314-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-015-9314-x