The murky distinction between self-concept and self-efficacy: Beware of lurking jingle-jangle fallacies.

Marsh, Herbert W.; Pekrun, Reinhard; Parker, Philip D.; Murayama, Kou; Guo, Jiesi; Dicke, Theresa; Arens, A. Katrin

doi:10.1037/edu0000281

Cited by 535Education, Achievement, and GiftednessCareer Development and DiversitySchool Choice and Performance

The murky distinction between self-concept and self-efficacy: Beware of lurking jingle-jangle fallacies.

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Marsh, Herbert W., Pekrun, Reinhard, Parker, Philip D., Murayama, Kou, Guo, Jiesi, Dicke, Theresa, Arens, A. Katrin·2019·Journal of Educational Psychology

DOI 10.1037/edu0000281

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Abstract

This study extends the classic constructive dialogue/debate between self-concept and self-efficacy researchers (Marsh, Roche, Pajares & Miller, 1997) regarding the distinctions between these two constructs. The study is a substantive-methodological synergy, bringing together new substantive, theoretical and statistical models, and developing new tests of the classic jingle-jangle fallacy. We demonstrate that in a representative sample of 3,350 students from math classes in 43 German schools, generalized math self-efficacy and math outcome expectancies were indistinguishable from math self-concept, but were distinct from test-related and functional measures of self-efficacy. This is consistent with the jingle-jangle fallacies that are proposed. On the basis of pre-test-variables, we demonstrate negative frame-of-reference effects in social (big-fish-little-pond effect) and dimensional (internal/external frame-of-reference effect) comparisons for three self-concept-like constructs in each of the first four years of secondary school. In contrast, none of the frame-of-reference effects were significantly negative for either of the two self-efficacy-like constructs in any of the four years of testing. After controlling for pre-test variables, each of the three self-concept-like constructs (math self-concept, outcome expectancy, and generalized math self-efficacy) in each of the four years of secondary school was more strongly related to post-test outcomes (school grades, test scores, future aspirations) than were the corresponding two self-efficacy-like factors. Extending discussion by Marsh et al. (1997) we clarify distinctions between self-efficacy and self-concept; the role of evaluation, worthiness, and outcome expectancy in self-efficacy measures; and complications in generalized and global measures of self-efficacy.

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Different terms refer to similar constructs in education and educational psychology even though they have the same meaning.
“Different terms refer to similar constructs, even though they have the same meaning (e.g., see Marsh et al., 2019).”
From Screening Smarter, Not Harder: A Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Screening Algorithms and Heuristic Stopping Criteria for Systematic Reviews in Educational Research (2024) · cites this paper as Marsh et al., 2019
The conceptual clarity of constructs commonly used in education and educational psychology has been recently criticized.
“In contrast, the conceptual clarity of constructs commonly used in education and educational psychology has been recently criticized (Bringmann et al., 2022; Flake & Fried, 2020; Marsh et al., 2019).”
From Screening Smarter, Not Harder: A Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Screening Algorithms and Heuristic Stopping Criteria for Systematic Reviews in Educational Research (2024) · cites this paper as Marsh et al., 2019
Previous research suggests that the field of education and educational psychology uses different terms to refer to constructs that are conceptually and empirically similar.
“Previous research suggests that the field of education and educational psychology uses different terms to refer to constructs that are conceptually and empirically similar (e.g., see Marsh et al., 2019).”
From Screening Smarter, Not Harder: A Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Screening Algorithms and Heuristic Stopping Criteria for Systematic Reviews in Educational Research (2024) · cites this paper as Marsh et al., 2019

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Murayama, K., Pekrun, R. H., Suzuki, M., Marsh, H. W., & Lichtenfeld, S. (2015) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/pspp0000079 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Self-citation
Math, verbal, and general academic self-concept: The internal/external frame of reference model and gender differences in self-concept structure.
Skaalvik, E. M., & Rankin, R. J. (1990) · Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0663.82.3.546 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Contextual neglect, self-evaluation, and the frog-pond effect.
Zell, E., & Alicke, M. D. (2009) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0015453 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Verbal and Math Self-Concepts: An Internal/External Frame of Reference Model
Marsh, H. W. (1986) · American Educational Research Journal · doi:10.2307/1163048 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Self-citation
Item-Specific Efficacy Judgments in Mathematical Problem Solving: The Downside of Standing Too Close to Trees in a Forest
Marsh, H. W., Roche, L. A., Pajares, F., & Miller, D. (1997) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1006/ceps.1997.0942 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Self-citation
Development of mathematical competencies in adolescence : the PALMA longitudinal study
Pekrun, R. H., Hofe, R. V., Blum, W. F., Frenzel, A. C., Götz, T., & Wartha, S. (2007) · KOPS (University of Konstanz) · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Self-citation
Long-term positive effects of repeating a year in school: Six-year longitudinal study of self-beliefs, anxiety, social relations, school grades, and test scores.
Marsh, H. W., Pekrun, R. H., Parker, P. D., Murayama, K., Guo, J., Dicke, T., & Lichtenfeld, S. (2016) · Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1037/edu0000144 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Self-citation
A Test of the Big Fish in a Little Pond Hypothesis: An Investigation Into the Feelings of Seven-Year-Old Pupils in School
Tymms, P. B. (2001) · School Effectiveness and School Improvement · doi:10.1076/sesi.12.2.161.3452 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
The negative effect of school-average ability on science self-concept in the UK, the UK countries and the world: the Big-Fish-Little-Pond-Effect for PISA 2006
Nagengast, B., & Marsh, H. W. (2011) · Educational Psychology · doi:10.1080/01443410.2011.586416 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Self-citation
Differential school contextual effects for math and English: Integrating the big-fish-little-pond effect and the internal/external frame of reference
Parker, P. D., Marsh, H. W., Lüdtke, O., & Trautwein, U. (2012) · Learning and Instruction · doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2012.07.001 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Self-citation
The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect in Mathematics
Marsh, H. W., Abduljabbar, A. S., Parker, P. D., Morin, A. J. S., Abdelfattah, F. A., & Nagengast, B. (2014) · Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology · doi:10.1177/0022022113519858 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Self-citation
Discriminant and incremental validity of self-concept and academic self-efficacy: a meta-analysis
Huang, C. (2012) · Educational Psychology · doi:10.1080/01443410.2012.732386 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Expectancy-Value Theory
Seel, P. D. N. M. (2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_2160 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
An Information Distortion Model of Social Class Differences in Math Self-Concept, Intrinsic Value, and Utility Value
Parker, P., Marsh, H., Guo, J.-S., Anders, J., Shure, N., & Dicke, T. (2017) · Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1037/edu0000215 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citation
Multitrait–Multimethod Analysis
Widaman, K. F., & Castro‐Schilo, L. (2015) · The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp400 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Measuring self-concept: The conceptual issues.
Byrne, B. M. (1996) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/10197-001 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 18

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Sorted by citations

A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relations Between Motivation and Reading Achievement for K–12 Students
Toste, J. R., Didion, L., Peng, P., Filderman, M. J., & McClelland, A. M. (2020) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/0034654320919352 · Cited by 269 · see citing works
Screening Smarter, Not Harder: A Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Screening Algorithms and Heuristic Stopping Criteria for Systematic Reviews in Educational Research
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“Previous research suggests that the field of education and educational psychology uses different terms to refer to constructs that are conceptually and empirically similar (e.g., see Marsh et al., 2019).”
Self-citation
Strengthening the foundation of educational psychology by integrating construct validation into open science reform
Flake, J. K. (2021) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1080/00461520.2021.1898962 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Self-regulation in informal workplace learning: influence of organizational learning culture and job characteristics
Kittel, A. F. D., Kunz, R. A. C., & Seufert, T. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643748 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
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Fabian, A., Backfisch, I., Kirchner, K., & Lachner, A. (2024) · Computers and Education Open · doi:10.1016/j.caeo.2024.100200 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
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Nemtcan, E., Sæle, R. G., Gamst-Klaussen, T., & Svartdal, F. (2022) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2022.768959 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
The effect of pregnancy training classes based on bandura self-efficacy theory on postpartum depression and anxiety and type of delivery
Mohammadi, F., Kohan, S., Farzi, S., Khosravi, M., & Heidari, Z. (2021) · Journal of Education and Health Promotion · doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_105_21 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
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Wortha, F., Gerjets, P., Azevedo, R., Bernacki, M., Brucker, B., Bühler, B., Ehlis, A.-C., Kasneci, E., Miyake, A., Murayama, K., et al. (2026) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-026-10196-7
Self-citation

Authors: Marsh, H. W., Pekrun, R., Parker, P. D., Murayama, K., Guo, J., Dicke, T., & Arens, A. K.
Affiliations: University of Oxford (GB)
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
Australian Catholic University (AU)
University of Reading (GB)
DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education (DE)
ORCID: Marsh, Herbert W.
Pekrun, Reinhard
Parker, Philip D.
Murayama, Kou
Guo, Jiesi
Dicke, Theresa
Arens, A. Katrin
Venue: Journal of Educational Psychology
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2019-02
Volume: 111
Issue: 2
Pages: 331-353
ISSN: 0022-0663 (ISSN-L)
1939-2176
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000281
OpenAlex: W2805764211
Cited by: 535
References: 112
Citations by year: 2026: 56 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 84 · 2023: 139 · 2022: 64 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 6
FWCI: 38.31
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
centaur.reading.ac.uk
Locations: Journal of Educational Psychology (publishedVersion)
Open Access at Essex (University of Essex) (acceptedVersion)
CentAUR (University of Reading) (submittedVersion)
Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
Pedocs (German Institute for International Educational Research) (submittedVersion)
peDOCS
Funders: Australian Research Council (DP130102713)
German Research Foundation (PE 320/11-1; PE 320/11-2; PE 320/11-3; PE 320/11-4)
Japan Society of Promoting Science (16H06406)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
Keywords: self-concept, self-efficacy, mathematics self-efficacy, big-fish-little-pond effect, evaluation, worthiness, general self-efficacy, high school students, academic performance, future aspirations

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The murky distinction between self-concept and self-efficacy: Beware of lurking jingle-jangle fallacies.

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