Influences of Math Tracking on Seventh-Grade Students' Self-Beliefs and Social Comparisons

The authors examined how math track place, ment and gender affected 7th-grade students' self-esteem, Self-concepts, and social comparisons. Participants were 170 students who completed surveys that assessed their self-esteem, academic self-concepts of ability, and the kinds of social comparisons they make. Results showed that higher track students had significantly higher ability self-concepts in math and school. Math track did not influence students' self-esteem. After controlling for students' grades in math, track placement no longer affected students' self-concepts of ability. Students stated that they most frequently compare themselves with other students who perform similarly to them in the same track. Direction of comparison did not affect students' academic self-concepts or general self-esteem, regardless of whether they compared upward or downward.