THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES IN THE SCHOOL CLIMATE, SELF-ESTEEM AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT AMONG FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS IN THE ECORSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Dissertation for the Degree of Ph. D. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HENRY HARDING DURRELL 1976 m 5 E 4. L . é \v-’ MIR-9142a} 3/64? Q/I ABSTRACT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES IN THE SCHOOL CLIMATE, SELF-ESTEEM AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT AMONG FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS IN THE ECORSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS By Henry Harding Durrell The purpose of this study is to measure the relationship between certain social-psychological variables and self-esteem of the fifth and sixth grade students with their standardized achieve- ment test scores in Ecorse Public Schools, during the l973-74 school year. Specifically, this study is to determine which of the social- psychological variables are the most powerful predictors of the variation in Stanford Achievement Test scores. The total fifth and sixth grade student p0pulations, 486 students, with standardized “ZERTETER;;;_Eest scores falling at or above, or below, national norms were operationally used in this investigation. The achieve- ment areas used as the criteria were scores of total reading, Spell- ing, language, arithmetic, social studies, and science on Student Stanford Achievement Test Scores (SSATS). The climate variables within the context of this investigation were operationally as independent social-psychological variables defined as: Student Self-Esteem (SSE), Student Perceived Present Evaluations-Expectations (SPPEE), Student Perceived Future Evaluations-Expectations (SPFEE), Henry Harding Durrell Student Reported Sense of Futility (SRSOF), Teacher Ratings of Stu- dent Adjustment (TRSA), Student Perceptions of School Academic Norms (SPSAN), Teacher Present Evaluations-Expectations (TPEE), Teacher Future Evaluations-Expectations (TFEE), Teacher Perceptions of Parents' Student Academic Push (TPPSAP), Teacher Reported Feelings of Job Satisfaction (TRFJS), and Teacher Perception of Student Aca- demic Improvability (TPSAI). The major research questions investi- gated in this study are as follows: 1. Which of a selected number of social-psychological school normative academic climate variables derived from teacher perception data are greater predictors of classroom mean as cor- related with the Stanford Achievement Test? 2. Nhat part of the variance in academic achievement as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test can be predicted by social-psychological variables as measured by the perceptions of students and teachers within the school climate? The student population consisted of one integrated, three all-white, and two all-black schools in Ecorse, Michigan. The populations included 238 white, 216 black, and 32 Mexican-American students. Students and teachers were asked to respond to self- reporting questionnaires, designed to measure school climate vari- ables. The students were asked to respond to an additional questionnaire that measured their self-esteem. Henry Harding Durrell The data obtained for this study were analyzed by inter- correlational matrix, multiple regression, and stepwise regression analysis. All results were significant at the .05 level of confidence. From these experimental analyses the data yielded the fol- lowing results: 1. Social-psychological variables within the "Teacher Questionnaire" data were not significant predictors of classroom mean achievement at the .05 level. 2. Within the three sub-populations, the Teacher Ratings of Student Adjustment was the most powerful predictor of the explained variance in Stanford Achievement Test scores, significant at the .05 level. 3. White elementary schools had four significant predictors of the explained variance in Stanford Achievement Test scores. Student Perceived Present Evaluations-Expectations demonstrated greater prediction power within the white schools than within the integrated or black schools. 4. There were three significant predictors of the explained variance in Stanford Achievement Test scores within the black schools. Teacher Ratings of student adjustment predicted a larger percentage of the explained variance within black and integrated schools than within white schools. Student self-esteem predicted a larger percentage of the explained variance within black and white schools than within the integrated school. Henry Harding Durrell 5. There were three significant predictors of the explained variance in Stanford Achievement Test scores within the integrated school. Student Perception of School Academic Norms predicted a higher percentage of the variance within the integrated school than within the white and black schools. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES IN THE SCHOOL CLIMATE, SELF-ESTEEM AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT AMONG FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS IN THE ECORSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS By Henry Harding Durrell A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY I I Department of EQementary Education 1976 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are many peeple who deserve thanks for their contri- butions, which have come in several forms that have inspired me to work toward and complete this dissertation. Space will only allow me to give special thanks to a few, but for the others I shall always remember them as a source of inspiration. I wish to express my most sincere appreciation and thanks to the Chairman of my Doctoral Committee, Dr. Donald H. Nickerson, whose skills and warm leadership through c00peration contributed greatly toward the completion of my doctoral program. I would like to give my special thanks to Dr. Wilbur R. Brookover for his incomparable guidance throughout the formulation and writing of this research study. To Dr. Glen Owen Cooper and Dr. Howard W. Hickey, I wish to say thank you for your scholarly help and as members of my doctoral committee. To Dr. John M. Mason, who served on my committee until his retirement, I wish to extend my thanks for his help in the early days of my doctoral program, and his suggestions in writing for this dissertation. I wish to extend a special thanks to Dr. Jeffrey M. Schneider for his interest, counseling, friendship, and the information he pro- vided me in the beginning which led to the completion of this educa- tional experience. ii To the Ecorse Board of Education, it is very pleasing for me to say thanks for granting me the privilege to conduct this study with the fifth and sixth grade students. To my family--wife, Marion, and children, Derrick, Dawnita and Devin--who have sacrificed their love and companionship in their relation to me as a husband and a father. May I say thank you for your understanding and feelings you have shared with me, and all the help you have given me during these years I have been studying. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES . LIST OF APPENDICES . Chapter I. INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem The Purpose of This Study Questions to Be Explored Hypotheses for Analysis . Significance of the Study Limitations of the Study Definition of Terms Overview . II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE . Introduction Theoretical Formulations Symbolic Interaction . . The Formalized Theory . Interaction Process Analysis Socialization . . . . The Role Theory . . Evaluations and Expectations Theory. The Self and Self- Esteem . . Self-Esteem and Social Adjustment. School Climate Literature . . Variables of Interest . Studies Related to Teacher Evaluations and Expectations Studies Related to Perceived Peer Evaluations and Expectations . . Studies Related to Perceived Parental Evalu- ations and Expectations . Studies Related to Academic Norms Within the School Climate Studies Related to a Sense of Futility Within . the School Climate iv Page vi viii ix —l uoooumm-bb—a Chapter Self-Esteem and School Achievement Studies Related to Teacher Satisfaction . Studies Related to Teacher Ratings of Students: School Adjustment and School Achievement . Summary . . . . . . . . . III. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY Population and Site Instrumentation Data Collection Teacher Data Student Data Summary IV. DATA STATISTICAL ANALYSIS . Statistical Techniques Employed Correlational Analysis . . Analysis and Interpretation of Teacher Data Multiple Regression Analysis . . Stepwise Regression Analysis School Climate Effects-~Teacher Questionnaire . on CLSMN . . Analysis and Interpretation of Student Data V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary . Conclusions . Discussion Recommendations BIBLIOGRAPHY . APPENDICES Page 116 118 129 Table 10. 11. LIST OF TABLES Racial Characteristics of the Six Elementary Schools . . . . . . . Socio-Economic Status Level of Schools Intercorrelations Among Variables in the Teacher Questionnaire and Stanford Achievement Test Scores (CLSMN) . . Multiple Correlation Coefficients of the Six Inde- pendent Variables Teacher Questionnaire on Class- room Mean Achievement . . . Analysis of Variance for the Overall Regression of the Six Independent Variables, TPEE, TFEE, TRPIS, TRFJS, TPPSP, and TPSAI, with Classroom Mean Achievement . . . Multiple Regression Beta Weights for Each Independent Variable Within Teacher Questionnaire, with Classroom Mean Achievement (N = 2T) Summary of Stepwise Add Regression Analysis for Classroom Mean Achievement . . . . Intercorrelation Among the Social- Psychological Variables and the SAT Variable of the Integrated School . Intercorrelation Among the Social- Psychological Variables and the SAT Variable of the Black Schools . . . . . Intercorrelation Among the Social- Psychological Variables and the SAT Variable of the White Schools . . . Multiple Correlations of SSE, SPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, and TRSA with Students' SAT Scores vi Page 58 59 72 75 76 77 78 82 83 84 89 Table Page l2. AOV for the Overall Regression with SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, TRSA Indices (Independent Variables) for Predicting SAT Scores on the Integrated School Population . . . . . . 90 l3. AOV of the Overall Regression with SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, TRSA Indices (Independent Variables) for Predicting SAT Scores on the Black School Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 T4. AOV for the Overall Regression with SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, TRSA Indices (Independent Variables) for Predicting SAT Scores on the White School P0pulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9l 15. Multiple Regression Weights (Beta) for Integrated, Black and White Populations . . . . . . 92 l6. Stepwise Regression Analysis for SAT (Integrated School, N = 88) . . . . . . . 95 T7. Stepwise Regression Analysis for SAT (Black Schools; N = 147) . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 l8. Stepwise Regression Analysis for SAT (White Schools, N= 230) . . . . . . . . 98 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure P399 l. A Design of Evaluations-Expectations . . . . . . . 23 viii LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A. manna Student Questionnaire . Teacher Questionnaire . Rating Scale for Pupil Adjustment . Student Self-Esteem Intercorrelation Tables ix Page 130 l43 l58 l6l l65 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem In l97l-72, the students in Ecorse elementary grades tested below the national norms on the Stanford Achievement Test. This test indicated that Ecorse students as a group are unsuccessful in their school environment. This lack of success in the school envi- ronment is a major concern to educators. This investigation grew out of that concern, why so many students in Ecorse Public Schools tested below average on the Stanford Achievement Test, and why they are achieving below their grade level. For years educators have attempted to explain variance in academic achievement by using intellective variables such as the IQ. In recent years some research studies on academic achievement have investigated non-intellectual variables as being important factors in explaining differences in academic achievement. The many studies of academic prediction using intellectual measures may be Summarized by stating that the average intellectual measures such as IQ test scores taken singly or in multiples account for only 50 to 75 per- cent of the variation in academic performance.1 1J. L. Cole, "The Relationship of Selected Personality Vari- ables to Academic Achievement of Average Aptitude Third Graders," The Journal of Educational Research 67 (March T974): 329. Therefore, 25 to 50 percent of the variance in academic performance is unexplained. In recent years there has been an aware- ness by researchers that non-intellectual variables may affect a student's academic performance. There is evidence that educational attainment in school is related to socio-economic status (SES). Coleman et al.2 and Mayeske 3 showed in their studies that family SES and racial background at al. are significantly correlated with academic performance, and the school social composition, and attitudinal variables associated with the family SES, and racial background have a higher correlation with academic performance than any other school variables studied. The socio-economic status and achievement correlation does not always hold true. However, a few studies have shown that low SES schools show high academic performance and high SES schools show low academic performance. McDill, Myers and Rigsby4 identified social climate vari- ables which accounted for most of the variance in achievement usually attributed to the socio-economic composition of the schools. 2James S. Coleman et al., Equality of Educational Oppor- tunity (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, T966). 3George W. Mayeske et al., A Study of Our Nations Schools (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Office of Education, T969). 4Edward L. McDill, Edmond Myers, and Leo Rigsby, "Institu- tional Effects on the Academic Behavior of High School Students," Sociology of Education 40 (Summer 1967): lBl—99. Parson5 pointed out that success in school academic per- formance reflects two components, "cognitive and moral." A "good" student fuses the two together, although the weight placed on one or the other varies from time-to-time during one's school career. In the elementary grades, Parsons states that high achievers: are both the "bright" pupils, who catch on easily to their more strictly intellectual tasks, and the more "responsi- ble" pupils who "behave well," and on whom the teacher can "count" in her difficult problems of managing the class . . . . In many cases, it can be presumed that the primary challenge to the pupil gs not to his intellectual, but to his "moral" capacities. Within the school system, it appears that academic perform- ance occurs in a social setting and academic performance may depend more upon social skills than upon academic-intellectual ones, especially in the early years. However, it is important to investi- gate the relationship between the student's academic performance and some of the social psychological factors within the school climate. The following theoretical concepts provide a basis for the analysis of the child's socialization. Brookover showed that human behavior emerges when an individual associates with other individuals who are significant to him within his environment.7 To better under- stand the educational process and academic performance of students 5Talcott Parsons, "The School Class as a Social System: Some of Its Functions in American Society," Harvard Educational Review 29 (1959): 297-318. 61bid. , p. 304. 7Wilbur B. Brookover and Edsel L. Erikson, Society, Schools and Learning_(Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1969), p. l. in a society, the social structural and psychological variables in which learning occurs must be known. The Purpose of This Study The purpose of the study was to investigate relationships between certain social-psychological factors comprising school normative academic environment, and academic performance and self- esteem of fifth and sixth grade students in Ecorse, Michigan, during the 1973-74 school year. This researcher's hope is to find which of those factors investigated are the strongest predictors of academic performance. Knowledge of these variables may provide educators with suggestions for classroom or curricular changes. It may add to the knowledge about elementary school social climate variables and stu- dents' self-esteem. Questions to Be Explored The data collected pertain to the following questions: 1. Which of a number of social-psychological school normative academic climate variables derived from the teacher per- ception data are greater predictors of classroom means as correlated with the Stanford Achievement Test? 2. What part of the variance in academic achievement as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test can be predicted by social-psychological variables as measured by the perceptions of students and teachers within the school climate? Hypotheses for Analysis From the questions to be explored in this study, the follow- ing hypotheses were developed: Hypothesis 1: Hypothesis 2: Hypothesis 3: Hypothesis 4: Hypothesis 5: Hypothesis 6: Hypothesis 7: Hypothesis 8: Teacher present evaluation-expectation is a sig- nificant predictor of classroom mean achievement as measured by the Teacher School Social Environment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Teacher future evaluation-expectation is a signifi- cant predictor of classroom mean achievement as measured by the Teacher School Social Environment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Teacher perception of parent-student push for edu- cational achievement is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement as measured by the Teacher School Social Environment Study Question- naire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Teacher reported push of individual students is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement as measured by the Teacher School Environment Ques- tionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Teacher reported feelings of job satisfaction is a significant predictor of classroom mean achieve- ment, as measured by the Teacher School Social Envi- ronment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Teacher perception of student academic improvability is a significant predictor of classroom mean achieve- ment as measured by the Teacher School Environment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Student perceived present evaluation-expectation is a significant predictor of student academic achieve- ment as measured by the Student School Social Environment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Student perceived future evaluation-expectation is a significant predictor of student academic achieve- ment as measured by the Student School Social Environment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Hypothesis 9: Hypothesis 10: Hypothesis ll: Hypothesis 12: Student reported sense of futility is a significant predictor of student academic achievement as measured by the Student School Social Environment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Student perception of school academic norms is a significant predictor of student academic achievement as measured by the Student School Social Environment Study Questionnaire and the Stanford Achievement Test. Student self-esteem is a significant predictor of student academic achievement as measured by the Coppersmith Self-Esteem Inventory_and the Stanford Achievement Test. Teacher adjustment rating of student is a significant predictor of student academic achievement as measured by the Rating Scale for Pupil Adjustment and the Stanford Achievement Test. Significance of the Study Educators in Ecorse have repeatedly faced the problem of many students scoring below the nation norms on the Stanford Achievement Test. So far, there has been no comprehensive research study con- cerning the academic performance of these Ecorse students and their socio-psychological behavior within the context of their academic success. Therefore, exactly what single or combinations of socio- psychological factors are influencing their academic performance is unknown. This researcher believes that the investigation of certain socio-psychological factors and their influence students' academic performance will greatly increase our knowledge of why many of the fifth and sixth grade students in Ecorse Public Schools score below the national norm on the Stanford Achievement Test. In light of the seriousness of this academic problem, not a sufficient number of studies have been conducted at the elementary level. Scientific research findings about this academic problem at the elementary level are badly needed. With this knowledge school board members, faculty members and parents can institute effective social changes in the school environment. It is to this need that this present study is directed. Limitations of the Study This study is based on the fifth and sixth grade students attending the six public elementary schools in Ecorse, Michigan, during the l973-74 school year. The total fifth and sixth grade student population was included in this study. Hence, while impli- cations for the larger student population throughout the Ecorse school system may exist, one should understand that this study is focused only upon the students in this study. Therefore, the trans- fer of generalizations to other grade levels within the school system should be made only if the reader is willing to accept the responsibility for the validity of such extended generalizations. Other limitations that could be regarded as active inference in this study: 1. The responses to social-psychological questionnaires could be questioned as to the accuracy of the self-reported responses. 2. The findings are limited to the particular schools involved. 3. The school district as a social system was not investi- gated in this present study. 4. This study does not include the external forces in the community that might hinder to enhance school performance. 5. There is no desire to make generalizations other than the particular schools involved in this study. This study does not claim to examine all social-psychological variables having an effect upon academic achievement. It is designed to investigate only a specific number of characteristics of school social climate variables which may have an association with academic achievement beyond the affects of race and ethnic groups. 6. It is the hope of this researcher that the findings will serve in future research, first, to isolate certain variables from the collected data for future study, and, secondly, to reinforce further research within the area of the effects of school normative climate upon academic achievement. The main purpose of this study is to investigate rather than to test hypotheses. Definition of Terms Terms that are relevant to this study are: Self: "A composite definite of the 'self' as a complex and dynamic system of beliefs which an individual holds true about himself."8 Self-esteem: Self-esteem is the evaluation which an indi- vidual makes and usually maintains with regard to himself. This 8William W. Purkey, Self-Concept and School Achievement (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1970), p. 7. evaluation expresses an attitude of approval or disapproval, and indicates the extent to which the individual believes himself to be capable, significant, successful and worthy. The self-esteem is measured as the evaluative aspect of the self-concept. The self- esteem inventory (SEI) developed by C00persmith is chosen as the instrument to measure self-esteem. His definition is: ". . . personal judgment of worthiness that is expressed in the 9 attitudes the individual holds toward himself." Symbolic interaction: The term "symbolic interaction" refers to the process by which students relate to their own mind as well as the mind of others. In this process, the student takes into account his own feelings as well as how he perceives the people around him feel. Overview This study will attempt to compare the measured intensity of self-reported self-esteem with quantitative school achievement. This study will also attempt to identify certain social-psychological normative academic climate variables in elementary schools that are related to school achievement. Chapter II of this study will include the related literature and studies in the areas of self-esteem and school social climate and their effects upon school achievement. Chapter III will give an account of the design, population, procedures and site. 9Stanley C00persmith, The Antecedents of Self-Esteem (San Francisco: U. H. Freeman and Co., 1967), p. 5. 10 Chapter IV will present the tests of the hypotheses and other anlysis of data pertinent to this study. Chapter V will include conclusions, summarizations of this thesis and suggestions for future research. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Introduction This study investigates the relationship between self-esteem, elementary school normative academic climate and academic achievement in fifth and sixth grade students. This chapter will first review the theoretical foundations upon which this research is based. These foundations are symbolic interaction theories, socialization, expectation-evaluations theory and the role theory. This will be followed by a review of selected studies focusing on the relation- ship between students' level of self-esteem and their academic achievement. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to the rela- tionship of school climate variables to achievement within the school. Theoretical Formulations In this study about school normative climate and self- esteem, the major theoretical formulation is provided by George H. Mead in the form of symbolic interaction.1 Mead was responsible for a social-psychological theory called "symbolic interactionism." The ideas embodied in symbolic interactionism are centered around 1George H. Mead, Mind, Self and Society (Chicago: Univer- sity of Chicago Press, 1934). 11 12 "self," the individual's "self-conceptions“ and society. Self is possible because of role taking. By "taking the role of others," the individual learns how others feel about him and how he must adjust his behavior to receive the desired response from others. Those whose role the individual takes are the "significant others. Role behaviors are influenced by self-perceptions: What an indi- vidual does, thinks, and feels depends upon the way in which he per- ceives himself and others. Symbolic Interaction Mead's2 major contribution to the theory of social inter- action is his theory of "symbolic interactionism." He used these terms in describing the emergence of self. Blumer explains Mead's theory of symbolic interaction in the following manner: He identifies two forms or levels; non-symbolic interaction and symbolic interaction. In non-symbolic interaction, human beings respond directly to one another's gestures or actions; in symbolic interaction they interpret each others gestures and act on the basis of the meaning yielded by the interpretation. . . . Mead's concern was predominantly with symbolic interaction. Symbolic interaction involves inter- pretation or ascertaining thg meanings of the actions or remarks of the other person. 2 3Herbert Blumer, "Sociological Implications of the Thoughts of George H. Mead," The American Journal of Sociology (March 1966): 535-44. Ibid. 13 The Formalized Theory Using this base, Kinch put forward the formalized theory of symbolic interaction. From this foundation, he makes suggestions about self. The individual's conception of himself emerges from social interaction and, in turn, directs or influences the behav- ior of that individual. Using the symbolic theory of interaction as a base, Kinch outlined six steps that are involved in forming the self-concept and self-esteem. l. The individual's self-concept is based on his percep- tion of the way others are responding to him. The individual's self-concept function to direct his behavior. The individual‘s perception of the response of others toward him. . The way the individual perceives the responses of others toward him will influence his behavior. The actual response of others to the individual will determine the way he sees himself, his self-esteem. The actual response of others toward the individual will affect the behavior of the individual. 0501-wa Brookover and Erickson emphasized the influence of social interaction on the student when they wrote: Each person learns the definitions of appropriate behavior through interaction with others who are important or sig- nificant to him. Brookover and Erickson reveal: . . the individual also acquires conceptions of his ability to learn various types of behavior through inter- action with others whose evaluations are important to him. These propositions project a social-psychological framework for the analysis of the educational process by 4John Kinch, "A Formalized Theory of the Self-Concept," The American Journal of Sociology_68 (January 1963): 481. 5 Ibid., p. 482. 14 emphasizing the importance of the social environment in which the student lives and his interaction with others in his social world. Such a conception of human learning has been identified as a social interaction theory . . . .5 Interaction Process Analysis 7 introduced and named this process, interaction process Bales analysis (IPA). It is used in the study of groups, especially studies by researchers in group dynamics, and in studies of classroom groups. Earlier studies were centered around child play. The literature reveals that scholars agree that scientific investigation of classroom interaction, per se, is both a legitimate and necessary area for analysis. Parsons suggests: . . that the scientific study of classroom interaction offers a field of vital interest for social scientists on the one hand and those concegned with the actual operation of the schools on the other. Each school and each classroom within the school is a rela- tively saphisticated interacting social group. Like any other social institution, the elementary school is both general and spe- cific. In the school there is a complex net of social iteraction and interwoven set of statuses and roles taking place. The emphasis on understanding elementary school students in the school climate has led to the constructing theoretical framework which focuses on student environment interaction. 6Brookover and Erikson, pp. 15-16. 7R. F. Bales, Interaction Process Analysis (Cambridge: Addison-Wesley, 1950). 8Parsons, pp. 297-318. 15 9 a social-psychological designer for interaction, Miller, suggests that in a school or classroom social contact by a student or an actor performs actions that are evaluated by others according to appropriate norms. These evaluations are usually to evaluate the actor himself. The actor perceives others' evaluations, which usually become part of his self-evaluations. The actor confirms or modifies his next action. From Mead's formulation this writer would point out that an individual's perceptions of evaluations, expectations, and self- esteem are largely derived from the reflected appraisal of others. Therefore, the view of "significant others“ are Mead's key to the formulation of an individual's evaluations, expectations, and self- esteem. It appears that within this theoretical framework, there are other components of Mead's theory that are important and should be reviewed. This writer will attempt to examine the relations and clarify how these constructs are presently utilized in questions per- taining to school academic climate. Socialization Cooley, writing a short time after the turn of the century, indicated that the development of self has its start early in the life of an organism. Shortly after becoming aware of their environ- ment, interaction with the intermediate family begins. From this 9E. R. Miller, "The Study of Social Relationships Situations, Identity, and Social Interaction,“ in Psycholpgy: The Stugyyof a Science, Vol. 5, ed. S. Koch (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1963). 16 interaction the child's self is begun to be determined by the atti- tudes of others; "the looking glass self."10 This important continuing process which begins at birth and extends throughout the life span of an individual was a great con- cern to Mead. Meadn stressed the importance of the first interaction, which he called preinteraction. Preinteraction takes place at an ealy age between parents and the child. Mead further describes how self-awareness is developed after the use of language has taken place. Once an individual possesses language, reflection takes place. The reflection about the parents' behavior leads to reflection about the child's own behavior. By taking the attitudes of others, the self emerges. By projecting himself into the minds of others, the process of role begins. The Role Theory Mead, who was influenced by Cooley, wrote, "when the child learns to project himself into the mind of others he is . . . taking the role of others."12 Starting with Cooley and later Mead, many social psycholo- gists have agreed that self-conception is developed when the child uses the process of his noting the reaction of another person to his actions, thus allowing him to evaluate his own actions. With these 10Charles H. Cooley, Human Nature and the Social Order (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1902), pp. 151-53. 11Mead, p. 135. 12Ibid. 17 different acts perceived by the main actor, he decides how others judge him, and therefore, he judges himself. This self-judgment might lead to a high self-esteem or a low self-esteem. Gross, Mason, and McEachen13 suggest that most role the- orists agree that the expectation-evaluative criterion students hold for their own behavior in a role are cue elements. These elements have to be thought through when attempting to explain the differen- tial behavior of the actors in a specific role. Parsons and Shils write: A role is thus a series of appropriate and expected ways of behaving relative to certain objects, by virtue of a given individual's status in a given social structure or institu- tion. Further, these expectations that individuals have in given statuses that they will behave in such-and-such ways are called role expectations. This statement also reflects how the actor of a status comes to realize that others expect him to behave according to predeter- mined patterns while he occupies the given status. Parsons and Shils state: What an actor is expected to do in a given situation both by himself gnd by others constitutes the expectations of that role.1 Getzels states: Roles are defined in terms of role expectations. A role has certain normative obligations and responsibilities which may be termed role expectations, and when the 13Neal Gross, Ward S. Mason, and Alexander W. McEachern, Explorations in Role Analysis: Studies of the School Superintendenpyy Role (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1958). 14Talcott Parsons and Edward Shils, Toward a General Theory of Actions (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1962), p. 350. 15 Ibid. 18 role incumbent puts those obligations and responsibglities 1nto effect, he 15 sa1d to be perform1ng h1s role. This statement reflects that within a culture or sub-culture, each position has a set of norms or expectations associated with that position or role. 17 revealed that parents, peers and teachers are a stu- Brim dent's major role definers. It is presumably that a positive self- esteem is dependent upon a positive response from significant others to their expected roles. These statements reflect that individuals think of their roles in the sense of expectations. From this point of view, the student's self-expectations influence the development of his self- esteem. "By taking the attitudes of other individuals toward him- self," it is reasonable to think that others' evaluations will affect the individual's level of self-esteem. Evaluations and Expectations Theory ‘N The expectancy theory is important to this study as a deter- minant of educational outcomes. As early as 1935, Johnson demonstrated that positive expec- tations are more helpful in reaching a goal than negative expectations. Rosenthal and Jacobson put forth an astonishing report about the concept of the expectancy theory when they wrote: 16Jacob Getzels, Administration Theory in Education, ed. Andrew Halpin (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1958), p. 153. 17Orville Brim, Sociology and the Field of Education (New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1958). 19 The central concept behind our investigation was that of the "Self—Fulfilling prophecy." The essence of the concept is that one person's prediction of another person's behavior somehow comes to be realized. The prediction may, of course, be realized only in the perception of the predictor. It is also possible, however, that the predictor's expecta- tion is communicated to the other person, perhaps in quite subtle and unintended ways, and so has an influence on his actual behavior. Eson agrees that expectations are subtle when he writes: Expectations are often unintended and subtle . . . . Expec- tation is a strong determinant of behavior and a very per- vasive feature of our environment. Eson states that the expressions of age, ethnic stereotypes, and sex serve as subtle forms of expectations. In writing about sex in the more specific expressions of expectation, Goodenough20 revealed the behavior differences between the two sexes from early childhood is strongly related to different expectations covertly and overtly expressed by significant indi- viduals who interact with each child of each sex in a different nanner. Given this framework of theory about how expectations influ- ence differential behavior in male and female in a subtle form, 21 Polardy provides some evidence about differential achievement 18Robert Rosenthal and Lenore F. Jacobson, "Teacher Expecta- tions for the Dis-Advantaged," Scientific Americal 218 (April 1968). 19Morris E. Eson, Esychologjcal Foundation of Education (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1972), p. 36. 20E. W. Goodenough, "Interest in Persons as an Aspect of Sex Difference in the Early Years,” Genetic PsychologyyMono ographs 55 (1957): 287- 323. 21J.M.Polardy, "What Teachers Believe--What Children Achieve," Elementary School Journal 69 (1969): 370- 4. 20 between males and females within the school. Polardy indicates that this differential in achievement is due to the perceptions of people rather than to the student's capabilities. Another aspect of the expectation theory and its association with differential achievement by sex is the differential in achieve- ment by race, and ethnic groups. Antonovsky,22 Sears,23 and Wylie,24 all these scholars have reported that white students had higher expectations than black students. 25 found that black students had higher discrepan- Guggenheim cies between their expectations for achievement and their actual achievement than did white students. In the framework of the expectation theory is the differen- tial of achievement which is associated with class status. Rist conducted an observational study of a classroom where expectations were based upon middle-class attributes. Rist26 found that the 22A. Antonovsky, "Aspirations, Class, and Racial-Ethnic Mem- bership," Journal of Negro Education 36 (Fall 1967): 384-93. 23F. S. Sears, "Levels of Aspiration in Academically Suc- cessful and Unsuccessful-Children," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 35 (1940): 498-536. A 24R. c. Wylie, "Children's Estimates of Their Schoolwork Ability, as a Function of Sex, Race and Socio-Economic Level,“ Journal of Personality 31 (June 1963): 203-24. 25F. Guggenheim, "Self-Esteem and Achievement Expectations for White and Negro Children," Journal of Projective Techniques and Personality Assessment 33 (February 1969): 411-51. 26Ray C. Rist, "Student Social Class and Teacher Expecta- tions: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy in Ghetto Education," Harvard Educational Review 40 (August 1970): 411-51. 21 achievement expectations were less for the students from the poorer families or lower socio-economic status group. This belief is very damaging to educational performance. Studies have pointed to the fact that a teacher's expectations of a student's potential can seri- ously affect what the student does accomplish. Accordingly when teachers expect very little from students, as is often the case with poor students, then, they do very little in academic performance. In the expectation theory there is evidence that self- conception is influence by factors within the environment; that is, the expectations and reactions of certain individuals within the environment influence the student's level of self-esteem. The literature on the theory of expectations makes it clear that the child does integrate perceived information from other indi- viduals and groups, along with his own achievements, to form his concept of his own self-esteem. 27 provides information from his theoretical analysis Staines about how the concept self is learned from comments coming from other people, and the child's experience in home, school and other social groups. S So conceived, the theory of expectations that individuals come to see themselves as they perceive others has been supported by). 27J. W. Staines, "The Self-Picture as a Factor in the Class- room," British Journal of Educational Psychology_28 (1958): 97-111. 22 28 3O empirical research of French, Sherwood,29 and Rosenberg. These results state that there is a strong and definite relationship between the perceived self and the individual's own picture of what he is actually like. A model would be in order to help explain the theory of 31 expectations. This model is drawn from Finn with some modifica- tions (see Figure 1). The Self and Self-Esteem Earlier psychologists and sociologists such as William James, G. H. Mead and Charles Cooley provided the primary understanding and guidelines for the study of self-esteem. In recent times, Brookover and others have contributed by developing the concept of academic ability. On the self, James wrote: Ourself feeling in this worlg depends entirely on what we back ourselves to be and do. 2 28J. R. P. French, "The Conceptualization and Measurement of Mental Health in Terms of Self-Identity Theory," in The Definition and Measurement of Mental Health, ed. S. B. Sells (Washington, D.C.: Department of Health, Education and Welfare). 29J. J. Sherwood, "Self-Identity and Reference Others," Sociometry 28 (March 1965): 66-81. 30M. Rosenberg, Society and the Adolescent Self-Image (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1965). 310. Jeremy Finn, "Expectations and the Educational Environ- ment," Review of Educational Research 42 (1972): 395. 32William James, The Principles of Psychology (New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1890), pp. 310-1. 23 Cultural traditions and demands Perceived characteristics of individual (Age, race, sex, abilities, prior achievement) I I I I Evaluations- Evaluations- Evaluations- Evaluations- Expectations Expectations Expectations Expectations of of of of Peers Parents, Teachers Others A A A Self- E Expectations <2 -—-e> Self- Direct Esteem Influence Outcome Behavior Figure l.--A Design of Evaluations-Expectations. 24 33 and its growth as James also spoke of the "social self" being influenced by the amount of recognition an individual receives from his peers, and others. An individual has as many social selves as there are people who have subjective feelings about him. To influence anyone of these is to influence his self-esteem. 34 concluded that human achievements are measured James against our aspirations for any certain behavior. If achievement meets aspirations in a valued area the result is high self-esteem; if not, there is low self-esteem. It appears that much of the contemporary theorizing about the self owes its origin to James. 35 wrote one of the classic theories about the self Cooley which has its beginning in the early stages of life. Each individual develops his self-image from his immediate family and later by inter- action with peer groups and other associations. Cooley termed this process as the "looking glass self," and declared that three principal elements are involved: 1. The individual's perception of how his behavior appears to others. 2. The individual's perception of how others judge his behavior. 3. The individual's feelings of pride about the judgments of others.36 33 34 35 36 Ibid., pp. 220-3. Ibid. Cooley, p. 184. Ibid. 25 If we feel that others think well of us and approve of the things we do, we will also think well of ourselves and of our achieve- 37 suggests that an individual perceives himself as he ments. Cooley might perceive his image in a mirror. The individual sees himself reflected in other individuals. Cooley's theory indicates that the self-esteeming process cannot emerge without having access to such reflections as seen in others. Influenced by Cooley, George H. Mead added another important phase to the theory of social interaction which became a second classic theory about the emergence of self. Mead states: The self is something which is developed; it is not there at birth, but arises in the process of social experience and activity.38 Mead described the concept of self as being developed through interactioanith environment. He concludes that personality is not a result of biological variables, but is a result of social- psychological factors. Mead further concludes that individuals are the product of society and not the creators of society. Mead wrote about "the generalized other" as it influences the development of the self: It is in the form of "the generalized other," that the social process influences the behayaor of the individual involved in it and carrying it on. 37 38 39 Ibid. Mead, p. 135. Ibid., pp. 155-56. 26 40 also indicated the influence of society in light of Mead the "generalized other." 'Those "generalized or significant others" who have the most influence on the development of self are called "reference groups." When an individual has learned to take the role of the generalized other, he has learned the attitudes, expectations and values of that particular society or sub-society. The group whose standard the individual conforms to becomes his reference group. According to Mead, self-esteem is mostly derived from the reflected appraisal of others. When an individual places high values on himself, there have been important persons in his life who have respected him. If he thinks poorly of himself, generalized or 4] emphasized that significant others have not respected him. Mead no individual is an island; regardless how independent he might think he is, his feelings about himself reflect his social group. The idea of the significant other and the way the individual has reacted are Mead's guideline to the development of self-esteem. Charles Cooley and George Mead were among the first to say that the feelings about self are produced by individuals interacting with other individuals. Mead did not try to prove his ideas through empirical inves- tigation; however, others who followed him in studying the self have done so. 40 41 Ibid. Ibid., p. 135. 27 Increasingly, it has been theoretically postulated and empirically documented that individuals who possess positive feelings about themselves and feel they can do well, usually do well. Grambs states: The way a person views himself is the way he will behave. If he sees himself as successful, as someone whom others like, as good looking, then, his behavior will reflect these views. If the person considers himself to be inade- quate, as someone whom others probably won't like, as unattractive, then again his behavior will reflect these valuations. . . . Children with adequate intellectual endowments might do poorgy in school because they perceive themselves as not able.4 3 Rogers, speaking about self, states: As a result of interaction with the environment, particu- larly as a result of evaluational interaction with others, the structure of self is formed. 3 Rogers further states that individuals develop an organized picture of themselves in relationship to their environment. The two-way conception emerges in this organized picture (self-concept), and relationship to environment (self-esteem). Combs, Kelley, Maslow and Rogers state: The self is learned. What is learned can be taught. What can be taught is fair game for the public schools. The question is not one of whether we approve of teaching for a positive self in the public schools. We could not avoid affecting the self if we wanted to. We may ignore the self in our teaching. We cannot, however, escape the fact of our 42Jean 0. Grambs, "The Self-Concept: Basis for Re-education of Negro Youth," in Negro Self-Concept, ed. Franklin Patterson (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1965), pp. 11-12. 43Calvin S. Hall and Gardner Lindzey, Theories of Personality (New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1957), p. 483. 28 influence upon the self or our ultimate responsibility with respect t3 whether the effects of schooling are positive or negative. 4 Self-Esteem and Social Agjustment Rodgers indicated that self-esteem or the degree of congruence between the real self and the ideal self is adjustment. Block and Hobart's 45 conclusions supported Rodgers' findings that a vast discrepancy between an individual's real self and ideal self induces maladjustments. Askert46 found that all self-concept dimensions correlated positively and significantly with total self-acceptance, but some of the dimensions did not correlate with each other on a one-to-one basis at a significant level. This could signal that individuals do not accept or reject themselves in the total sense, but they might accept or reject them- selves in a particular dimension and not in other dimensions. Klausmeier and Goodwin wrote: The self ideal is the desired self, what the person wishes most to be like and to do. A large discrepancy between the self-concept and self ideal indicates maladjustment. The 44A.S.C.D., Yearbook, Perceiving, Behavior Becoming: A New Focus (Washington: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Devel- 0pment, 1962), p. 10. 45Jack Block and Thomas Hobart, "Is Satisfaction with Self a Measure of Adjustment?" Journal of Abnormal Social Psychology 51 (1955): 254. 46Robert V. Askert, "Inter-relationships Between Various Dimensions of the Self-Concept," Journal of Counseling Psyphology_6 (1950: 199-201. 29 person who is strongly dis-satisfied with his present self, but has accepted a high self ideal may be ovirly anxious and make poor adjustments in present situations. One of the four conclusions made by Klausmeier and Goodwin from their experiment was: Those low in acceptance of self and high in acceptance of others, exhibited high anxiety, impulsivity, low morale, over dependence, and marked tendency to accommodate others.48 There is evidence which explains that when self-esteem is threatened, some individuals will experience forms of anxiety. Ausubel explains anxiety and self-esteem in the following words: Anxiety is instigated by an objective threat to self-esteem. In some instances, this threat may be external in origin, as for example: when one puts one's skills and reputation as a sprinter against a competent rival. In one instance, the source of the threat is within the person. It may come from aggressive impulses or from the individual's awareness that he has violated certain moral scruples. The important thing in all these cases regardless of whether the source of threat is internal or external is that the threat is objec- tively capable of impairing self-esteem in normal persons.49 There is evidence that anxiety affects achievement in school. Ausubel and Robinson conclude: "At the elementary school level, anxiety generally depresses scholastic achievement."50 47Herbert J. Klausmeier and William Goodwin, Learning and Human Abilities (New York: Harper and Row, 1967), p. 395. 481bid., p. 396. 49D P. Ausubel and F. G. Robinson, School Learning(New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1969), p. 396. 5°Ibid., p. 401. 30 51 Sheerer showed there is a positive correlation between acceptance of self and acceptance of and respect for other people. 52 showed that when an individual's feelings about himself Stock change, his attitude changes in the same direction. Benjamin53 concluded that when the individual's self under- goes a change or is influenced, or is threatened, it is reflected in overt behavior. .1ersi1d54 noted the importance of the self-image as being necessary for apprOpriate mental health. He believes that the schools are playing a major role that is only second to the family in developing the self-image. These studies have indicated that relationship between self- esteem and social behavior does exist. School Climate Literature As one searches through the literature, it soon becomes apparent that not too much research has been conducted on the norma- tive academic climates which exist within the elementary schools. 5IElizabeth T. Sheerer, "An Analysis of the Relationship Between Acceptance of and Respect for Self and Acceptance of and Respect for Others in Ten Counseling Cases," Journal of Consulting Psychology 45 (July 1950): 473-80. 52Dorothy Stock, "An Investigation Into the Inter-relations Between the Self-Concept and Feelings Directed Toward Other Persons and Groups," Journal of Consulting Psychology 13 (June 1949): 176-80. 53James Benjamins, "Changes in Performance in Relation to Influences Upon Self-Conceptualization," Journal of Abnormal Ppy- chology 45 (July 1950): 473-80. 54Arthur T. Jersild, In Search of Self (New York: Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1952). 31 Most of the studies conducted concerning the influences of normative academic climates have been aimed at universities, col- leges, and high school students. Several studies have been recorded and have isolated certain academic and social climate values existing in some schools of higher learning. Only in recent years has there been an increase in the aware- ness by educators that variables other than academic ability may affect a student's overall school performance. Historically, some of this interest can be traced back to the earlier studies conducted by Levin on social climates in high schools. 55 Levin's field theory explains behavior as a continuing process which is the result of transactions between the individual and other structural components in the behavioral field. This reflects the idea that educators should give more atten- tion to the school climate and the students. Mathewson states: . . a fundamental principle governing all attempts at individual evaluation in terms of field theory is that no individual can be understood apart from his field, and the field must necessarily include both inner and outer phases or status, or in other word; a complex of interrelated socio-psychological forces. 6 Some of the earlier researchers on elementary school climates 57 look to Bales. He talked about the interaction process analysis 55K. Levin, R. Lippitt, and R. White, "Patterns of Aggressive Behavior in Experimentally Created Social Climates," Journal of Social Psychology 10 (1936): 271-91. 56R. Mathewson, Guidance Policy and Practice (New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1962). 57 Bales, p. 32 (IPA). The IPA is to investigate and understand classroom inter- action through a series of communication acts between students and teachers. 58 spoke about the elementary school class- Getzels and Thelen room as being a social system characterized by primary group face-to- face interaction. Brinkmann and Brinkmann,59 Graham,60 Jensen,6] Parsons,62 and Thelen63 have all agreed that the school class is a normative social system. Clark notes that a sociology of the classroom is only in the " beginning. Clark is thoroughly convinced: A deve10ped sociology of the classroom . . . will understand classroom interaction in the context of larger social struc- tures that encompass and shape it. 58J. W. Getzels and H. A. Thelen, "The Classrom Group as Unique Social System," in Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, ed. N. 8. Henry, Vol. 59, No. 2, 1960, pp. 52- 80. 59E. H. Brinkmann and R. A. Brinkmann, "Group Influences on the Individual in the Classroom: A Case Study," Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 9 (No. 3, 1963): 195-204. 606. Graham, The Public School in the American Community (New York: Harper and Row, 1963). 61G. E. Jensen, "The Social Structure of the Classroom: An Observation Framework," Journal of Educational Psychology 46 (No. 6, 1955): 345-54. 62Talcott Parsons, "The Social Class As a Social System," Harvard Educational Review 29 (1950): 297—318. 63H. A. Thelen, "The Experimental Method in Classroom Leader- ship," Elementary School Journal 53 (1952): 76-85. 64B. R. Clark, "Sociology of Education," in Handbook of Modern SocioloQY, ed. R. E. L. Faris (Chicago: Rand McNally, 1964), p. 764. 33 Clark is saying that in the classroom there can be found a large significant body of information waiting to be analyzed that will help to understand classroom behavior. The school, both individually and as a social institution, has a distinct culture, sub-culture and a common social organization. Coleman65 investigated and wrote about the several components of adolescent sub-culture. He stressed the point that there was a strong student peer culture in the schools which is different from the values and goals of the adult culture. Coleman's66 study describes the parts of adolescent values and attitudes as: A 1. The manner in which students' attitudes and values unite to form the school climate value. 2. The manner in which peer groups Split into various sub-groups, each group different in function and needs. 3. The effects of these attitudes and values upon the student's school achievement and the reflection back upon the student's attitudes and aspirations. In his explanation of the school culture, Havighurst writes: The culture of the school had a profound effect upon what children and adolescents learn and the way in which they learn. There is a saying that children learn not what is taught, but what is "caught." Much of what is caught (atti- tudes toward learning, toward authority, values of right and wrong and so on) comes not from the formal curriculum, but from the pervading culture of the school. 65James Coleman, The Adolescent Society (New York: Free Press of Glencoe, 1961). 66 67Robert J. Havighurst and Bernice L. Neugarten, Society and Education (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1957), p. 185. Ibid., pp. 262-65. 34 These statements from Coleman and Havighurst convey the fact that each school and each classroom within the school is an inter- acting social group. To receive a better understanding of the achievement variance, the school climate should be analyzed. As was stated earlier, concentration on the study of norma- tive academic climate within the elementary school has not been a priority of educational researchers. Only in the last decade have attempts been made to research elementary school climate. 68 and Croft constructed and To study school climate, Halpin tested the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ) which permits the portrayal of the organizational climate of ele- mentary schools. With the use of the OCDQ, it is possible to compare and develop profiles of different schools and identify the eminent characteristics of their respective organizational climates. Realizing that it is possible to identify and label each elementary school separately within a system with regard to the specific kind of organizational climate which it portrays, it becomes important to study the variables acting within a particular school or group of schools which might have a relationship to the organizational climate of the school or schools. 68Andrew W. Halpin, Theory and Research in Administration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1966), pp. 132-33. 35 Halpin69 and Croft labeled the organizational climates as open, autonomous, controlled familar, paternal, and closed. These two researchers were aware of the fact that other factors act on school climate. Schneider70 noted other different factors acting within the school climate on academic achievement. He identified these factors from his investigation of fourth, fifth and sixth grade urban and rural schools as: 1. Students reported sense of futility was 44.92%. 2. Greater Teacher future Evaluations Expectations, 9.8%. 3. Less Teacher reported push of individual students, 5.2%. 4. Greater student perceived present Evaluations Expectations, 3.36%. Realizing that several attitudinal variables exist in the elementary school climate, this research is to determine the rela- tive importance of certain social-psychological variables and their relationship to achievement. Variables of Interest There are several attitudinal variables upon which this study and the conception of school climate will be based. These attitudinal variables are refinements of five basic 69Ibid., p. 135. 70Jeffrey M. Schneider, "An Investigation of Social- Psychological Variables Comprising School Normative Academic Climate in High and Low Achieving White-Urban, Black-Urban and Rural Elemen- tary Schools with School Mean Socio-Economic Status Controlled" (Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1973). 36 7] These five basic variables are social-psychological constructs. (l) evaluations-expectations within the school social system, (2) academic norms within the school social system, (3) feelings of futility/improvability within the school social system, (4) teacher satisfaction within the school social system, and (5) sense of com- munity involvement within the school social system. The following social-psychological variables in relation to a student's academic achievement have been reviewed. Studies Related to Teacher Evalu- ations and Expectations The theory of "teacher expectancy" as a determinant of school achievement has been receiving a great deal of attention among some educators in the past few years. In investigating the reason for the poor education that ghetto children receive, Clark writes: These children, by and large, do not learn because they are not being taught effectively, and they are not being taught because those who are charged with the responsi- bility of teaching them do not believe that they can learn, an; do not act toward them in ways which help them to learn. 2 71W. B. Brookover, R. Gigliolli, R. Henderson, and J. Schneider, Elementary School Social Environment and School Achieve- ment (East Lansing: College of Urban Development, Michigan State University, 1973), p. 27. 72Kenneth B. Clark, Dark Ghetto (New York: Harper and Row, 1965). 37 Pitt73 concluded in the '505, and Flowers74 supported his conclusions in the '605, that a self-fulfilling prophecy is applica- ble to the achievement level of students in a classroom, and that a teacher's expectations about a student's ability level may affect the student's total classroom performance. Rosenthal and Jacobson75 discussed the self-fulfilling prophecy resulting when teachers of the disadvantaged have low expectations. However, the students per- ceive these expectations and meet the teachers' low expectations. Another interesting report by Rosenthal and Jacobson76 describes the testing of the expectation that teachers evaluate the child through his IQ and adjust academic expectations accordingly. The researchers chose the name of students at random and informed their teachers that this special group of students would show a signifi- cant improvement in their academic achievement during the present school year. The only difference between the two groups was the teachers' higher expectations for the special group. The results showed that significant changes occurred in the IQ's of the first 73c. c. v. Pitt, "An Experimental Study of the Effects of Teachers' Knowledge or Incorrect Knowledge of Pupil IQ's on Teachers' Attitudes and Practices and Pupils' Attitudes and Achieve- ment; (Ph.D. dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1966 . 74C. E. Flowers, "Effects of an Arbitrary Accelerated Group on the Tested Academic Achievement of Educationally Disadvantaged Students" (Ph.D. dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1966 . 75Robert Rosenthal and Lenore F. Jacobson, Pygmalion in the Classroom (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1968). 76 Ibid. 38 and second grade students as the result of teachers expecting the special group to "bloom" intellectually. In discussing the IQ and teachers, Coombs states: If, in our schools we teach a child that he is unable and if he believes us and behaves in these terms, we need not be surprised when we test his intelligence to discover that he produces at the level at which we taught him.77 78 investigated the amount of time Rosenthal and Jacobson teachers spent with students and the relationship to school achieve- ment. They concluded it is not the amount of time spent with stu- dents which leads hathe differences in the intellectual attainment, but the quality of the interaction. In line with Rosenthal's and Jacobson's pr0posal, that expectations affect teacher behavior, 79 conducted a study on gifted and non-gifted Rubovitz and Maer children. They indicated that teachers did not differentiate between the amount of time given to gifted and non-gifted students. However, teacher expectations were found to be related to teacher behavior in a manner that the gifted students were encouraged and the non-gifted students were discouraged by their teachers. Several researchers have studied the relationship between teachers' verbal behavior and students' classroom behavior. 77A. W. Coombs, "Intelligence from a Perceptual Point of View," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 47 (1952). 78 79F. C. Rubovitz and M. L. Mayer, “Pygmalion Analyzed: Toward an Explanation of the Rosenthal-Jacobson Findings," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 19 (1971): 197-203. Rosenthal and Jacobson, Pygmalion. 39 80 81 82 Flanders, Furst, Powell and Snider83 found a relationship between the type of behavior used by the teacher and student achievement. In a study by Flanders84 on teacher behavior, Flanders showed that a relationship does exist between certain patterns of teacher talk and student achievement. The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders85 stressed the "powerful impacts" of the effects of teacher negative attitudes on students' educational attainment. The more teachers expect from their students, the greater their students' performance. Miller wrote about reading: Many socially different students in the secondary school are victims of the self-fulfilling prophecy. Their teachers tend to underestimate their ability to achieve, and the 80Ned A. Flanders, Teacher Influence, Pupil Attitudes, and Achievement, Research Monograph No. 12, U.S. Office of Education (Ann Arbor: School of Education, University of Michigan, 1955). 8lNorma Furst, "The Effects of Training in Interaction Analy- sis on the Behavior of Student Teachers in Secondary Schools," in Interaction Analysis: Theory, Research and Application, eds. E. J. Amidon and J. B. Hough (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1967), pp. 315-28. 82E. R. Powell, "Teacher Behavior and Pupil Achievement," paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, Illinois, 1968. 83R. M. Snider, "A Project to Study the Nature of Effective Physics Teaching," Cooperative Research Project No. 5-280, U.S. Office of Education (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University, 1965). 84Ned A. Flanders, "Some Relationships Among Teacher Influ- ence, Pupil, Attitudes and Achievement," in Contemporary Research on Teacher Effectiveness, ed. Ellena Biddle (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964), pp. 196-232. 85Report of the National Advisory Commission of Civil Dis- orders (New York: Bantom Books, 1968), p. 429. 40 students then fail to achieve up to the limits of their potential. Therefore, the reading teachers must believe that each socially different student can make reading improvement.86 It has been sufficiently documented by Becker;87 Deutsch;88 Rist;89 Warner, Havighurst and Loeb;90 and Wilson91 that teachers expect less of lower-class students than they do of middle-class students. Studies Related to Perceived Peer Evaluations and Expectations 93 Homans,92 Sherif, and many other educators agree that peer groups exert a powerful influence on the behavior of each student that is a member of a group in the school social system. 86Wilma H. Miller, Diagnosis and Correction of Reading Diffi- culties in Secondary School Students (New York: The Center for Applied Research in Education, Inc., 1973), p. 237. 87H. S. Becker, "Social Class Variation in the Teacher-Pupil Relationship," Journal of Educational Sociology 25 (1952): 451-65. 88M. Deutsch, "The Disadvantaged Child and the Learning Process," in Education in Depressed Areas, ed. A. H. Passow (New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1963). 89 90W. L. Warner, R. J. Havighurst, and M. Loeb, Who Shall Be Educated? (New York: Harper and Row, 1944). 91A. B. Wilson, "Social Stratification and Academic Achieve- ment," Education in Depressed Areas, ed. A. H. Passow (New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1963). 92 Rist, pp. 411-51. G. C. Homans, The Human Group (New York: Harcourt/Brace, 1950).. 93M. Sherif, The Psychology of Group Norm (New York: Harper and Row, 1936). 41 Peer group pressure in the classroom may influence the behavior of students in a positive or negative manner. A positive manner would be thought of as being in congruency with educational goals of a school. 94 and Sherif and Sherif95 pointed out how the Coleman, behavior of students is associated with the values of their peer group. They show how the values and norms that are utilized by stu- dents are usually based upon such factors as aspirations, ethnic background, sex, and socio-economic status. Coleman96 also points out how the adolescent sub-culture influences the value systems from school to school whether they are in the range of low, middle or high SES. Newcombe97 and Passow98 showed that groups have much to do with student's failures, success and the type of behavior an indi- vidual student will acquire. 94Coleman, Adolescent Society. 95M. Sherif and Carolyn W. Sherif, Reference Group Exploring into Conformity and Deviation of Adolescents (New York: Harper and Row, 1964). 96 97T. M. Newcomb, "The General Nature of Peer Group Influ- ence,“ in College Peer Groups, ed. T. M. Newcomb and E. K. Wilson (Chicago: Aldine, 1966). 98H. A. Passow, "Education in Depressed Areas," in Education in Depressed Areas, ed. H. A. Passow (New York: Bureau of Publica- tions, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1963). Coleman, Adolescent Society, p. 109. 42 Shapiro99 showed that peer attitudes do influence students in elementary schools. His results suggest the power of peer groups not only within junior high or high schools, but also within ele- mentary schools. Studies have been reported that are associated with peer acceptance, emotional, and social adjustment in the school environ- ment. 100 conducted a study on elementary school Lippitt and Gold children using teacher and peer ratings. The teacher rated the students on emotional and social adjustment. The students rated one another on elements of social competence such as social influence and likeableness. The students who were more admired, loved and respected by their peers "impressed their teachers with significantly more favorable mental health pictures." Some studies conducted have found peer acceptance, and peer rejection associated with different student characteristics. Two of 101 the studies cited here were reported by Buswell, and Gronlund 102 and Anderson. These scholars described those students who are 99E. w. Shapiro, "Attitudes Toward Arithmetic Among Public School and the Intermediate Grades," Ph.D. dissertation, University of Denver, 1961 (Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, 62-1222). 100R. Lippitt and M. Gold, "Classroom Social Structure as a Mental Health Picture, Journal of Sociology Issues 15 (1959): 40-49. 101M. M. Buswell, "The Relationship Between the Social Struc- ture of the Classroom and the Academic Success of the Pupils," Journal of Experimental Education 22 (1953): 37-52. 102N. E. Gronlund and L. Anderson, "Personality Characteris- tics of Socially Accepted, Socially Neglected and Socially Rejected High School Pupils," Educational Administration Supervision 43 (19 ): 329-38. 43 accepted by their peers as being capable and interested in school work, friendly, dependable, enthusiastic, well adjusted, and tidy. They describe those students who were not accepted by their peers as being disinterested in school achievement. Buswell further stated that those students who are not accepted by their peers or not influenced by their self-esteem will likely drop out of school somewhere between grades 9 and 12. Studies Related to Perceived Parental Evaluations and Expectations It has been stated by some educators as children reach ado- lescence, parents become less the child's significant adult, and as the children advance in age, the peers or friends become the sig- nificant other. 103 104 Backman et al., and Miyamoto and Dornbush are in accord that research in the area of self-evaluation has provided empirical support that not every person is a "significant other"; *these scholars have suggested that certain characteristics are sig- nificant in determining whose evaluations will be adopted. 105 In adopting and evaluation by children, Herriott concluded that there is a relationship between parents' perceived level of 103C. W. Backman, P. F. Secord, and J. R. Pierce, "Resistance to Change in the Self-Concept as a Function of Concensuses Amount Significant Others," Sociometry 26 (March 1963): 102-11. 1045. F. Miyamoto and s. M. Dornbush, "A Test of Self- Conception," American Journal of Sociology 61 (March 1956): 399-403. 105R. E. Herriott, "Some Social Determinants of Educational Aspiration," Harvard Educational Review 33 (1963): 157-77. 44 expectations for their child and the educational aspiration of the 106 state that expectations correlates child. Brookover et al. higher with achievement than aspirations. In a study as to the extent of the influence exerted by the parents, Erikson reported as follows: 1. Parents were perceived as academic significant others by students more often than were friends. 2. Parents were perceived by students to attach more impor- tance to their achievement expectations than were friends, regardless of the level of perceived achievement expected of the student, or the achievement level of the student. 3. Parents were perceived as holatng them under higher sur- veillance than were friends. Studies Related to Academic Norms Within the School Climate The literature reveals that norms are present within the school social system and do act as powerful negative or positive determinants of behavior. These determinants were discussed by Jensen.108 Jensen indicates the type of group structure that emerges in the classroom plays: a prominent role in class morale; individual and group achievement and discipline behavior. 106W. B. Brookover, E. L. Erikson, and L. Joiner, "Educa- tional Aspirations and Educational Plans in Relation to Academic Achievement and Socio-Economic Status," School Review 75 (1967): 392-400. 107Edsel L. Erikson, "A Study of the Normative Influence of Parents Upon Academic Achievement" (Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1965). 108G. Jensen, "The Socio-Psychology Structure of the Instruc- tional Group," in The Dynamics of Instructional Groups, Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, ed. N. B. Henry (Chicago: Chicago Press-University of Chicago, 1960). 45 In speaking of group influence, Sherif found that when indi- viduals had established their own norms in individual sessions, later when they met with a group their differences tended to converge with the group. 109 state, norms become stabilized in As Thelen and Dickerman time and become powerful determiners of the behavior of group mem- bers. This statement gives rise to the fact that as interaction takes place in a group, there appears to be a rise of shared expec- tations of how students should behave, what they should think and how they should feel. In explaining academic norms that influence behavior within schools, Johnson wrote: Because of differences in social backgrounds and personality traits, individuals will accept some values to a greater extent than others. It is the norms and values of the sub- cultures the individuals belongs to within the organization, . which affects his behavior.no A study of high school social systems by Coleman“1 con- cluded that many contemporary teenagers project lack of interest in educational attainment and some display an overt rejection of scholastic norms. Coleman explains this .kind of negative behavior as a result of the existence of teenagers' sub-culture which influ- ences and is significant to its participants and directs the 109Herbert Thelen and W. Dickerman, "Stereotypes and the Growth of Groups," Educational Leadershtp 6 (1940): 309-16. 1]00. Johnson, The Social Psychology of Education (New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston, Inc., 1970), p. 238. Ill Coleman, Adolescent Society. 46 teenagers' energies into activities which are Opposed to educational goals. Coleman further wrote: The leading crowd of a school and thus the norms which that crowd sets, is more than merely a reflection of the student body, with extra middle class students thrown in. The lead- ing crowd tends to accentuate those very background charac- teristigg already dominant whether they be upper or lower c ass. These studies reveal that classroom norms may come from sev- eral sources. School behavior may be shaped by conformity with the neighborhood culture, the influence of the teachers, the influence of the principal or some powerful sub-group within the classroom or school. 113 114 115 116 Asch, Berenda, Festinger, and Sherif all agree that norms do have an influence on group achievement and group behavior. ‘17 found that of the six factors McDill, Meyer, and Rigsby they studied in "school climate, the academic norms factor by itself accounted for twice the explanatory power of SES when looking at achievement." 112 113S. E. Asch, The Psychology of Gropp Norms (New York: Harper and Row, 1936). 114R. W. Berenda, The Influence of the Group_on the Judgments Ibid., p. 109. of Children (New York: King's Crown Press, 1950). 115L. Festinger, "Informal Social Communications," Psycho- logical Review 57 (1957): 271-82. 116 117Edward L. McDill, Edomon Myers, and Leo Rigsby, "Institu- tional Effects on the Academic Behavior of High School Students," Sociology of Education 40 (Summer 1967): 181-99. Sherif, Group Norms. 47 Studies Related to a Sense of Futility Within the School Climate A variable that has been reported as being a predictor of academic achievement in minority students is referred to by some researchers as a sense of control. Seeman“8 and Rotter collaborated in developing a measurement of internal control. Later he called the measurable concept power- lessness. Some scholars have written that the feeling of powerlessness is a kind of futility. I Seeman and Dean viewed powerlessness as an element in alienation. Seeman wrote that powerlessness is: . expectancy or probability held by the individual that his own behavior cannot determine the pgcurrence of the outcomes, or reinforcements he seeks.I Bartel120 wrote that academic mastery can be accomplished when the individual perceives himself or herself as in control of his or her destiny, and not a poor powerless victim of some uncontrollable external situation that he or she cannot change or control. Battle and Rotter investigated 80 sixth and eighth grade students and concluded that lower socio-economic status students IIBMelvin Seeman, "On the Meaning of Alienation," American Sociological Review 24 (December 1959): 783-91. 119 120M. R. Bartel, "Focus of Control and Achievement in Middle Class and Lower Class Children," Dissertation Abstract 29 (1969): 2991.A. Ibid. 48 have a higher degree of futility than middle socio-economic stu- 121 dents. In a study of the relations between intelligence and futility, Crandall and Katousky122 investigated 923 elementary and high school students. They pointed to the fact that the more intel- ligent student is less likely to experience feelings of futility. Several studies on the relationship between external and internal control and the behavior of blacks and whites in interracial 123 situations have been conducted. Battle and Rotter and Katy and 124 showed that blacks performed poorer on competitive achieve- Cohen ment tasks and made a lesser attempt to control the environment than whites. Self-Esteem and School Achievement Evidence has existed for several years that children with problems in academic achievement may also have a low self-esteem. Numerous studies have found self-concept to be significantly related to academic performance of students. 121Esther Battle and J. Rotter, "Children's Feelings of Per- sonal Control as Related to Social Class and Ethnic Group," Journal of Personality 31 (1963): 482-90. 122Virginia Crandall and C. Katousky, "Children's Beliefs in Their Own Control of Reinforcements in Intellectual-Academic Achieve- ment Situations," Child Development (1965): 91-109. 123 Battle and Rotter, pp. 482-93. 124K. Katy and M. Cohen, "The Effects of Training Negroes Upon Cooperative Problem Solving in Biracial Teams," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 64 (1962) 319-25. 49 Lamy'zs found after investigating kindergarten children that their perceptions of self were as good a predictor of later reading achievement as intelligence test scores. When IQ and self-evaluations were combined, the prediction was more accurate. Lamy concluded that the child's perceptions about himself and his environment are not only related to, but may well be a major causal factor in future reading performance. Frerichs126 investigated the relationships between self-esteem and success in school among black children in a lower socio-economic midwestern inner city area. He found that self-esteem scores were related to grade point average and reading performance but not to high or low IQ. Lowther was interested in the area of self-concept. He used the term self-esteem in emphasizing: . that the significance attached to educational activi- ties by society is such that school success or failure will be reflected in self-esteem. He postulated, in each ability group, high achieving subjects will possess hggh self-esteem more frequently than low achieving subjects. His findings indicated that high achieving students in each group did possess higher self-esteem than the low achieving students. 125M. W. Lamy, "Relationship of Self-Perceptions of Early Primary Children to Achievement in Reading," in Human Development Readings in Research (Chicago: Scott Foresman and Co., 1965). 126A11en H. Frerichs, "Relationship of Self-Esteem of the Disadvantaged to School Success," The Journal of Negro Education 40 (Spring 1971): 117-20. 127Malcolm A. Lowther, "A Comparison of Educational Motiva- tion, Self Evaluation and Classroom Conduct of High and Low Achiev- ing Eighth Grade Students" (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan, 1961). 50 128 Zimmerman and Allebrand investigated urban fourth and fifth graders of a lower to middle socio-economic status. Half of these students studied were of Mexican descent. They found that the poor readers were lacking in such things as adequacy, freedom, per- sonal worth, and stability. These things were absent to such a degree that poor readers avoided reading. 129 130 131 132 Campbell, Hughes, Kerensky, 133 C00persmith, 134 Miller, and Padelford reported that the children with academic achievement problems may also suffer from low self-esteem. 128Irla L. Zimmerman and George N. Allebrand, "Personality Characteristics and Attitudes Toward Achievement of Good and Poor Readers," Journal of Educational Research 59 (1965): 28-30. 129Paul B. Campbell, "Self-Concept and Academic Achievement in Middle Grade Public School Children" (Ph.D. dissertation, Wayne State University, 1965). 130 C00persmith, p. 126. 131T. M. Hughes, "A Study of the Relationship of Coping Strength to Self-Concept-School Achievement and General Anxiety Level in Sixth Grade Pupils," Ph.D. dissertation, Universit of Tennessee, 1967 (Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, 68-3747 . 132V. M. Kerensky, "Reported Self-Concept in Relationship to Academic Achievement in an Inner City Setting," Ph.D. disserta- tion, Wayne State University, 1966 (Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms, 67-664). 133B. P. Miller, "A Study of the Relationships Among Student Self-Concept, Teacher Image, and Ability Grouping," Ph.D. disserta- tion, Western Michigan University, 1967 (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Univer- sity Microfilms, 67-11 450). 134W. B. Padelford, "The Influence of Socio-Economic Level, Sex and Ethnic Background Upon the Relationship Between Reading Achievement and Self-Concept," Ph.D. dissertation, University of California-L05 Angeles, 1970 (Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Micro- films, 70-2242). 51 Studies Related to Teacher Satisfaction One will find in the literature that many times the term morale and job satisfaction are used as synonyms. However, there is e’__" . ’— no doubt that they are closely related. From reading the literature, one can summarize that job satisfaction is commonly used to refer to the reaction of the individual to certain elements in his working environment. Morale is often used to refer to the general level of satisfaction and enthusiasm of individuals and groups. Burton wrote that teacher's morale is an important factor in teaching SUCCESS .135 136 found in his study that high teacher morale was Gragg related to: 1. Confidence in the leadership of the principal and other administrators. 2. Cooperation among members of the staff, rapport, and friendly atmosphere among teachers. 3. A fair and adequate salary. Research reveals that class sizes play an important role in job satisfaction. 137 Harap worte that large class size is one of the six most common causes of poor morale in teachers. 135William Burton, "The Teacher's Morale as an Important Factor in Teacin Success," California Journal of Elementary Educa- tion 6 (May 1938): 218-226. 136William L. Gragg, "Teacher Morale: Ithaca Survey Finds Teachers Agree More on Causes of High Morale Than of Low Morale," Clearinngouse 29 (April 1955): 493-4. 137 Henry Harap, "Morale" Nations Schools 63 (June 1959): 56. 52 McKenna138 reveals in his study that small classes are favored over large classes because they provide an environment that is conductive to a better understanding of students by the teacher, a greater adaptability of classroom instruction, and greater learning by the students. The fact that student achievement and disciplinary problems are reflected in teacher job satisfaction appears to be salient. Anderson confirms that there is a relationship between teacher satisfaction and academic achievement. He compared ten schools which stand in the upper quartile with relation to scores on the Iowa Tests of Educational Development with ten schools which stand in the lowest quartile on the same test. He concludes: Teachers in secondary schools whose pupils achieve rela- tively high scholastically, appear to have higher morale than do teachers in schools with relatively low pupil achievement.139 140 Robinson indicates in order to reduce failure in schools not only teachers have to be satisfied, teachers must also enjoy a sense of satisfaction for success. 141 Strom wrote: The extent to which teachers are successful in classrooms, and satisfied with their working conditions, depends in 138Bernard H. McKenna, Staffing the Schools (New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1965), p. 44. ’ 139Lester W. Anderson, "Teacher Morale and Student Achieve- ment," Journal of Educational Research 58 (May 1953): 693-98. 140H. F. Robinson, "School Practices That Cause Failure," Childhood Education 44 (November 1967): 169-73. '4'R. Strom, Teaching in the Slum School (Columbus, Ohio: C. E. Merrill Books, Inc., 1965), pp. 59-60. 53 part on the role assumed by the building principal . . . they are keenly aware that their attitudes of education, their relationships with colleagues, can greatly influence pupil progress and success. Studies Related to Teacher Ratings of Students' School Adjustment and School Achievement Those studies in the literature which are related to this hypothesis focus on a few other variables such as images which teachers hold of students in regard to school achievement. Behavioral and personality factors thought to be related to teacher report card grades and to achievement test scores have been investigated at various grade levels. In a study of elementary 142 students, Thurston, Feldhusen, and Benning found good performance on scholastic achievement tests to be related to the approval behavior of the classroom. This also occurred when intelligence was used as a co-variance. At the high school level, Gough,143 and Williamson and Cole144 found that grade point averages were related to personality traits and to classroom behavior. The literature in the area of school climate seems to justify what Davidson and Lang concluded from a study when they wrote: 1423. R. Thurston, o. F. Feldhusen, and J. o. Benning, "Classroom Behavior, Intelligence and Achievement," The Journal of Experimental Education 36 (1967): 82-87. 143H. G. Cough, "Academic Achievement in High School as Pre- dicted from the California Psychological Inventory,“ The Journal of Educational Psychology 55 (1964): 174-80. 144R. G. Williamson and C. Coles, "Factors in Scholastic Performance: The Behavior Differential," Personnel and Guidance Journal 44 (1966): 962-66. 54 1. There exists a positive correlation between chil- dren's perception of their teachers' feeling toward them and children's perception of themselves. 2. There exists a positive relationship between favor- able perception of teachers' feelings and academic achievement. 3. There exists a positive relationship between favor- able perception of teachers' feelings and desirable classroom behavior. A study by Matlin and Mendelsohn145 showed positive correla- tions between measures of social and personal adjustment and achieve- ment. The achievement was related to grades given by teachers, and from objective test results. When IQ was partialed out, no relation- ship was found between adjustment and objective test results. The positive correlation between adjustment and grades given by teachers continued. Miner revealed that objective achievement, early citizenship and high school achievement appear to become independent of each other as students advance through the grade school. Miner also writes that ". . . teacher's evaluations in the early grades tend to be assessments of behavior rather than academic performance."146 An interesting study was conducted by DeGroat and Thompson147 with a group of sixth grade students. They found that teachers gave 145A. Matlin and F. A. Mendelsohn, "The Relationship Between Personality and Achievement Variables in the Elementary School, “ The Journal of Educational Research 58 (1965): 457- 59. 146B. C. Miner, "Three Factors of School Achievement, " The Journal of Educational Research 60 (1967): 370- 6. 147A. F DeGroat and G. C. Thompson, "A Study of the Distri- bution of Teacher Approval and Disapproval Among Sixth- Grade Pupils," Journal of Experimental Education 18 (1949): 57- 75. 55 more praise to students who were better adjusted, and higher achievers. The same teachers gave less praise to the poorer adjusted and lower achievers. Lippitt and Gold148 showed that teachers give more attention to the social behavior of lower socio-economic students than to their academic achievement. With higher socio-economic students, teachers gave more attention to academic achievement than to social behavior. '49 stated that children Thurston, Feldhusen, and Kryspin whose classroom behavior is aggressive and disruptive are likely to experience personal and social adjustment problems and do not achieve well. 150 found in their research Thurston, Feldhusen, and Benning that students who are consistently aggressive and disruptive in the classroom achieve at far lower levels than peers who exhibit socially approved behavior. Summary The theoretical formulation for this study is Mead's sym- bolic interaction theory. This frame of reference has been presented along with a review of the pertinent literature. It might be noted in the summary that the majority of studies in the literature tend to substantiate the hypotheses 148 149J. R. Thurston, J. F. Feldhusen, and W. Kryspin, "Predic- tion of Achievement with Measures of Learning, Social Behavior, Sex, and Intelligence," Psychology in the School 11 (January 1974): 60-65. 150J. R. Thurston, J. F. Feldhusen, and J. J. Benning, "Aggressive Classroom Behavior and School Achievement," Journal of Special Education 4 (1971): 431-39. Lippitt and Gold, pp. 40-49. 56 of this study but in varying degrees with some different quali- fications. This study focuses on self-esteem as an evaluative aspect of the self-concept. In the literature, there is increasing evidence that school learning depends on self-evaluations. The self- evaluations might be reflected in self-esteem. The literature reveals that any one or all of these might be influential in school achievement. The literature reveals that each classroom within the school is an interacting social group. In this group certain variables are present and are involved as determiners of school achievement. The literature reveals there is a great concern in which variables in the school climate have the greatest amount ofinfluence on school achievement. Whatever an individual perceives is what he believes. This is reflected in the Bible, where it states: "A man is as he thinks. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he."'51 15IProverbs 23:7. CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY The major purpose of this study is to investigate the influ- ence of selected social-psychological factors on academic achievement of fifth and sixth grade students in Ecorse Public Schools during the 1973-74 school year. This chapter describes the population, instru- mentation, procedures, and the methods for analyzing the data. Population and Site The population under investigation includes the fifth and sixth grade students in all six Ecorse Public Schools. The City of Ecorse is a suburb of Detroit, and the school p0pu1ation has the characteristics of an urban school area. The city had a 1970 popu- lation of 17,515. Df\;\. Students (N = 486) in 21 classrooms were investigated. The subjects consisted of 238 white students, §l_EEIEEEEj,216 black or"; students, 45 percent; and 32 Mexican-American students, 7 percent W Table 1 reveals that a total of 486 students were enrolled in grades five and six; 465 of these students were involved in this study. Twenty-one students out of this total were absent for various reasons when the researcher collected this data. As may be seen by inspection of Table l, the racial composi- tion of the fifth and sixth grade students in the one integrated 57 58 TABLE 1.--Racial Characteristics of the Six Elementary Schools. Racial Composition School N Black Mexican White 01 83 100.0 00 00 02 80 100.0 00 00 03 45 00 05 4O 04 85 01 O7 77 05 105 00 12 93 06 88 52 08 28 school was black students, 52; white students, 28; and Mexican- American students, 8. Subjects in the integrated school live in bordering segregated areas in the community. In a few cases, black students voluntarily come from outside the neighborhood to attend this integrated school. There were 163 students from two all-black elementary schools. There were 210 white students, one black student, and 24 Mexican-American students from three predominantly white schools. Of the 486 students, 51 percent were females and 49 percent were males. Two hundred forty-six (50.8 percent) of the students were fifth graders and 239 (49.2 percent) were sixth graders. Fifth and sixth graders were chosen for this study for the following reasons: 1. Students at this age respond better to a paper and pencil instrument. 59 2. A selchoncept becomes cohesive at the sixth grade level. - 3. The majority of the previous studies conducted with elementary students involved students at these grade levels. 4. The instruments used in this study had a high sig- nificant test-retest reliability with the students at this age level. Although the students came from all areas of the city, they were similar in socio-economic status. TABLE 2.--Socio-Economic Status Level of Schools. 5Ch°°I Lilii Studgnts TeacNers 01 25 83 3 02 16 80 4 03 23 45 2 04 24 85 4 05 22 105 4 06 23 88 4 0n inspection of Table 2, all five schools had an SES Index below 49. The highest SES level was school 1, with an SES level of 25. The school with the lowest SES level was school 2, with a level of 16. This SES Index was taken from each student's "School Environ- ment Study Student Questionnaire." Item 8 on the questionnaire asked 1R.‘C. Wylie, The Self-Concept: A Critical Survey of Perti- nent)Research Literature (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 196 . 60 each student to describe the type of work his father or surrogate does. This was then scored using the Ducan Occupational Index.2 Instrumentation The instruments used in this study to investigate the existing school climate socig1:psychologigol\ygriobles were four separated by interrelated questionnaires, two for the students and two for the teachers. One questionnaire for the students, "Student Questionnaire," and one for the teachers, "Teacher Questionnaire," were developed by Wilbur B. Brookover and Richard Gigliotti. The tgst_pre:test reliabilities took place in atmoderote’sjge_industriai city where needed revisions were examined in six elementary schools. The second questionnaire used by the students was the C00persmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI). This test measured the student's self-esteem. This is a test battery consisting of 58 items. The 58 items are concerned with the student's self-evalu- ations in four attitudinal areas: \q..— arents, peers, personal interests, and school. All of these items are worded for use with pupils “W '- - from ages 8 to 12 years, and have been administered to fifth and sixth grade girls and boys. C00persmith3 reports a test retest reliability of .88 after a five-week interval with a sample of 30 fifth grade students. 2Otis Dudley Ducan, David L. Featherman, and Beverly Duncan, Socio-Economic Background and Achievement (new York: Seminar Press, 1972), pp. 70-74. 3 Coopersmith, p. 5. 61 The reliability was .70 after a three-year interval with a different sample of 56 students. This instrument has been used in three studies involving inner-city school students. The second questionnaire used by the teachers was the Rating Scale for Pupil Adjustments (RSPA)4 consisting of 12 items and used as an objective measure for classifying students in grades three through nine. This rating scale was developed to be used as a part of the research for the Michigan Picture Test. Items used to measure student adjustment by teachers were taken from the Rating Scale for Pupil Adjustment. The test retest reliabilities were determined for a sample of 23 children with one month between ratings. The Pearson-Moment correlation between the first and sec- ond ratings by the same teacher was .84. All four of these questionnaires are interrelated in that they contain a nucleus of similar questions designed to elicit attitudes and perceptions of the respondents. The instruments can be found in the appendices. Data Collection A11 school data that are pertinent to this study were made available to the researcher through the permission of the Ecorse Board of Education. This research collected the data from all fifth and sixth grade students involved in this study. When students were absent this researcher attempted to administer the questionnaires during 4Michigan Department of Health, Rating Scale for Pupil Adjustment (Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1953). 62 the next visit to the building. The administering procedures used in each classroom were as following: 1. Students were asked to respond to each item in all honesty concerning their own personal feel- ings about each item. 2. The confidentiality of each student's response was made known to the students by this researcher. 3. Students were asked to complete the questionnaires at their own rate of speed. 4. Teachers were asked by the researcher to leave the room while the students were responding to the items on the questionnaires. Data on student adjustment was procured from each fith and sixth grade classroom teacher. Each teacher rated each of their students separately on social and personal adjustment in the class- room. Teachers were given a behavior rating scale for pupil adjust- ment with specific guidelines to follow. In each situation, the teacher rated the students enrolled in their classroom while the researcher was present; at this time no students were in the room. This arrangement was made possible after students had gone home for the school day. The scores from this data will be referred to as "Teacher Ratings of Student Adjustment" (TRSA). Data from the teachers were collected through the Teachers School Social Environment Stgdy Questionngige. The teachers were asked by this researcher to complete the self-reporting questionnaire in a separate room while the studentswere completing their ques- tionnaires. This separation of the teacher from the students helped the students to realize the confidentiality of their self-reporting responses to each item in the student questionnaire. All the 63 teachers except three finished the questionnaires while the researcher was administering the student questionnaires. There was no time limit on completing the teacher questionnaire. A pattern of consistence was utilized by this researcher throughout the administering of the questionnaires to all responders. Teacher Data Variables from the teachers were analyzed on the basis of previous research studies.5 Schneider identified six factors that emerged from the teacher data as: (1) teacher present evaluation-expectation of students in their school, (2) teacher future evaluation-expectation of the students in the school, (3) teacher perception of parent- student push for educational achievement, (4) teachers'reported push of individual students, (5) teacher reported feelings of job satisfaction, and (6) teacher perception of student academic improvability. Factor 1. Teacher Present Evaluation-Expectation of Students in Their School tTPEE): The items that make up this factor pertain to teacher evaluations-expectations of students from the present grade and continuing through high school. Factor 2. Teacher Future Evaluation-Expectation of the Students in Their School (TFEE): The items that make up this factor are concerned with teachers' evaluations and expectations about the students' future academic role, specifically with entrance and suc- cess in college. 5Schneider. 64 Factor 3. Teacher Perception of Parent-Student Push for Educational Achievement (TPPSP): The items that make up this factor are those which pertain to the degree of push which the teachers perceive coming from sources other than school personnel. Factor 4. Teachers Reported Push of Individual Students (TRPIS): The items that make up this factor measure the amount of push that teachers are willing to exert upon individual students to encourage student performance greater than the teacher expectations. Factor 5. Teacher Reported Feelings of Job Satisfaction (TRFJS): The items that make up this factor assess the degree of teacher satisfaction with the present school and teaching in general. Factor 6. Teacher Perception of Student Academic Improv- ability (TPSAI): The items that make up this factor are designed to report teacher perceptions of individuals belonging to the school social system and their positive or negative beliefs that past aca- demic failure could be-overcome. Specifically, this factor attempts to assess the belief, within the school social system, that appro- priate behavior will improve student academic performance. Student Data Data from the student questionnaires were analyzed on the basis of previous studies.6 The four factors from the student questionnaires were: (1) student perceptions of the present evaluations-expectations in their school social system, (2) student perceptions of future evaluations-expectations in their school 6Schneider, Chapter IV. 65 social system, (3) student perceptions of feelings of futility per- meating the social system, (4) student perceptions of the norms stressing academic achievement in their school and social system. Factor 1. Student Perceived Present Evaluations-Expectations (SPPEE): The items that make up this factor measure the degree of expectations and evaluations of "others" (friends, parents, teachers), as well as the student's own "self-concept of academic ability" from the present grade through the completion of high school. Factor 2. Student Perceived Future Evaluations-Expectations (SPFEE): The items that make up this factor measure student percep- tions of the beliefs of "others" (friends, parents, teachers) per- taining to "self-concept of academic ability" and self-evaluation in future academic accomplishments. Factor 3. Student Perceived Sense of Futility tSPSOF): The items which make up this factor are measures of the student's per- ceptions of teachers and to a less degree of other students' feel- ings of hopelessness or lack of concern about their academic achievement. Factor 4. Student Perception of School Academic Norms (SPSAN): The items which make up this factor measure the student's perceptions about the degree of pressure placed upon achievement by members of the school social system and school bureaucracy. Additional factors used in this study were: Self-esteem and teacher adjustment ratings. Student Self-Esteem (SSE): The items that make up this factor measure the student's favorable and unfavorable 66 self-attitudes in four areas: parents, peers, personal interests and school. Teacher Ratings of Student Adjustment (TRSA): The items that make up this factor measure the teacher's perception of student adjustment in three areas: (1) over-all emotional adjustment, (2) tendency toward agressive behavior, and (3) school conduct. 1. Over-all emotional adjustment: These items measure the student's total emotional adequacy in meeting the daily problems of living as shown in school. 2. Tendency toward agressive behavior: These items measure the student's overt hostility and/or aggres- sion toward other children and/or teachers. 3. School conduct: These items measure the student's conduct in the classroom environment evidence of his/her ability to accept the rules and regulations of the school community. Student Stanford Achievement Test (SSAT): This test measures the student's skills and abilities in the following areas: Reading Word meaning 48 items Paragraph meaning 64 items Spelling 56 items Language Usage 38 items Punctuation 18 items Capitalization 36 items Dictionary skills 24 items Sentence sense 17 items Arithmetic Computation 39 items Arithmetic Concepts 32 items Arithmetic Applications 39 items Social Studies 74 items Science 58 items 67 The academic achievement data were recorded from the Stanford Achievement Test, Intermediate Level 11, Form A. The test was administered to the fifth and sixth grade students in May, 1974. Those test scores will be referred to in this study as SAT scores. This research is aimed at exploring the variance in achieve- ment other than aptitude. The study is essentially concerned with obtaining data that will provide information about certain non- intellectual variables within the school climate that influence academic achievement in the elementary grades. Also, the resarcher hopes to find those school climate variables which are better pre- dictors of academic achievement test scores (SAT). To attain these goals,several statistical analyses were conducted. Intercorrelations were computed on the data to determine the simple correlations between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Multiple regression equations were utilized to determine the relationship between the criterion variable and a set of predictor variables. To explain the differences in academic achievement due to different social-psychological factors, or combination effects on academic achievement, the techniques of statistical regression and stepwise regression analysis were computed. I The purpose of using regression and stepwise regression analysis was to describe the differences in academic achievement by utilizing more than one variable at a time and to identify variables 68 or a combination of variables which best explain or predict achieve- ment variance. The data were statistically analyzed at the Michigan State University Computer Center using the Pearson Product-Moment Correla- tion Coefficient, multiple regression analysis, and stepwise regres- sion analysis. Summary In Chapter III, an account has been given of the research procedures, instrumentation and methodology employed in collecting and analyzing the data for this present study. The raw data were transformed in such a way as to provide for a statistical significant and non-significant analysis. Specifically discussed were (1) iden- tification of the population under study, (2) the delineation of the instruments used in this present study, and (3) the designation of the statistical procedures employed to find the best significant pre- dictors of academic achievement. It is clear from the preceding discussion that the present analysis is designed to investigate school data and shed some light on the relationship between selected school normative academic climate variables and academic achievement in fifth and sixth grade students. The results of this investigation are reported in the following chapter. CHAPTER IV DATA STATISTICAL ANALYSIS The purpose of this study is to determine the magnitude of influence of some selected social psychological variables operating within the school social climate on students' academic achievement at the fifth and sixth grade level in Ecorse, Michigan. To determine whether or not such an influence exists and to what degree, specific questions were formulated and relevant data were collected. Chapter IV will analyze and discuss data obtained through the procedures described in Chapter III. This chapter will discuss the following: (1) statistical techniques employed, (2) analysis and interpretation of the teacher data collected, and (3) analysis and interpretation of the student data collected. Statistical Techniques Employed The statistical techniques employed in this study are to identify social-psychological variables within the school social climate that are significant predictors of student academic achieve- ment. The analysis is presented under three major headings: correlational analysis, multiple regression analysis, and stepwise regression analysis. 69 7O Correlational Analysis The purpose of the correlational analysis was to determine the relationship of the academic achievement test scores to (l) selec- ted school climate variables within the student and teacher data, and (2) student self-esteem. More explicitly, the purpose of the analy- sis was to provide significant answers to the research questions stated in Chapter I. It must be emphasized that the researcher's main contention in this study is not the testing of specific hypothesis, but to investigate relationships between academic achievement test scores and variables of interest. The researcher will state those hypotheses and/or questions of interest for the specific analysis under investigation when appropriate. It must be reiterated that this study is to investigate rather than to test hypotheses. The data pertaining to Question 1 in Chapter I is analyzed and discussed on the basis of the responses from the teachers' questionnaires. 1. Which of a selected number of social-psychological vari- ables within the school social climate of fifth and sixth grade students derived from teacher perceptions are significant predictors of classroom mean achievement as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test? To provide data for answering this question, all 21 fifth and sixth grade teachers in the school system were asked to respond to the items in the Teacher Questionnaire. The definitions of the teacher variables were stated earlier in Chapter III. Each classroom mean was computed by the Stanford Achievement Testing Services and mailed along with each individual's test result to the school system. 71 To provide a statistically meaningful answer to Question 1, the following research hypotheses have been formulated: Hypothesis 1: Teacher present evaluation-expectation is a sig- nificant predictor of classroom mean achievement. Hypothesis 2: Teacher future evaluation-expectation is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. Hypothesis 3: Teacher perception of parent-student push for educa- tional achievement is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. Hypothesis 4: Teacher reported push of individual students is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. Hypothesis 5: Teacher reported feelings of job satisfaction is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. Hypothesis 6: Teacher perception of student academic improvability is a significant predictor of classroom mean achieve- ment. To determine the significance of each of the above hypotheses, a stepwise add regression analysis was conducted on the basis of the correlation coefficients, and the beta weights. Analysis and Interpretation of Teacher Data The computed correlation coefficients among the variables below based on the teacher questionnaire and classroom mean achieve- ment are presented in Table 3, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient and a level of significance of .05. The five percent level of significance for the correlation coefficient was .413.1 1N. M. Downie and R. N. Health, Basic Statistical Methods (New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1970), p. 318. 72 TABLE 3.--Intercorrelations Among Variables in the Teacher Ques- tionnaire and Stanford Achievement Test Scores (CLSMN).a’b Variables CLSMN 1. 1.000 TPEE 2. .368' 1.000 TFEE 3. .065 .735 1.000 TPPSP 4. .228 .573 .438 1.000 TRPIS 5. .077 .017 .286 -.018 1.000 TRFJS 6. .066 .603 .548 .707 .115 1.000 TPSAI 7. .143 .323 .279 .509 .048 .360 1.000 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 CLSMN TPEE TFEE TPPSP TRPI TRFJS TPSAI aAll correlation coefficients of .413 and above are signifi- cant at the .05 level. bThe correlations are based upon 21 fifth and sixth grade teachers. VARIABLES: 1. Stanfogd Achievement Test Scores, Classroom Mean CLSMN 2. Teacher Present Evaluation-Expectation (TPEE) 3. Teacher Future Evaluation-Expectation (TFEE) 4. Teacher Perceptions of Parent-Student Push for Achievement (TPPSP) 5. Teacher Reported Push of Individual Students (TRPIS) 6. Teacher Reported Feelings of Job Satisfaction (TRFJS) 7. ieache; Perception of Student Academic Improvability TPSAI It can be noted from Table 3 that all six of the independent variables correlated positive and low with classroom mean achievement. It can be observed that none of the correlations were significant at the .05 level. The only correlation approaching the five percent level of significance was teachers' present evaluations-expectations, with a 73 a correlation of .37. This suggested that teacher actual attitudes about students do not always influence academic achievement in his or her classroom. The resulting correlation of teacher future expectations with classroom mean achievement was .07. This suggested that the teachers as a group have not given too much thought to the academic future of the students within their classroom. The resulting cor- relation of teacher push of individual students with classroom means was .08. This suggested that the teachers as a group have not been too concerned about the students' actual academic performance and their academic expectations. The resulting correlation of teacher job satisfaction with classroom mean achievement was .07. This suggested that other factors must be operating within the school social climate as determiners of teacher job satisfaction. ‘ The data in Table 3 do differ from those previous findings which support the assertion that teacher attitudes are highly related and significant to student classroom-academic performance. These results probably reflect the teachers' consideration of other factors influencing student academic achievement behavior. That is, factors such as low economic status, failure to adjust to the expected role of a student, community environment, and student interest. Further examination of Table 3 reveals that the magnitude of the correlation coefficients of the six independent variables differs with respect to how much variance in classroom mean achievement was accounted for by each social-psychological variable taken from the 74 teacher questionnaire. Further explanation will be given in the next section entitled Multiple Regression Analysis. The next sec- tion deals with regression analysis on data from the teacher questionnaire. Multiple Regression Analysis The entire study is based on the assgmptjon that some of theydifferenc3S_in academic achievement of fifth and sixth grade students in Ecorse Public Schools can be EXPIEIPQQ—PY-509i31' psychological variables operating within the school social climate. The objective is to find out how much each variable as measured by each teacher's and student's response influences each student's SAT I scores. Therefore, the teachdrs' score on the teacher questionnaire, students' score on the student questionnaire, students' scores on the self-esteem inventory, and the teacherS' scores on the rating scale for pupil adjustment (independent variable), and the student's SAT scores (dependent variable) were analyzed. In this study the multiple regression equation, sometimes called multiple prediction, is the prediction of a criterior (dependent variable), from a linear combination of predictors (independent-variables), which may be identified as X1, X2, . . . Xp.2 When the predictors are statistically independent, multiple regression provides information about the realtive impOrtance of the predictors for the explanation of the variance in a dependent (predicted) 2Melvin R. Novich and Paul H. Jackson, Statistical Methods for Educational and Psychological Research (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1974), pp. 18-19. 75 variable. In summary, it can be stated that the basic objective of utilizing multiple regression analysis to data is to obtain the maximum contribution that can be assigned to each independent vari- able in predicting a dependent variable. This section indicates by means of regression analysis how much of the variation in academic achievement of fifth and sixth grade students that can be accounted for by teacher measured percep- tions of students and by student measured perceptions of himself and others. Also, from the regression analysis, this section will reveal how the social-psychological variables function differently in the black, integrated, and white schools in explaining the variance in academic'achievement. In order to determine the degree of linear dependence of classroom mean achievement on the six independent variables within the teacher questionnaire, multiple correlation was computed. The A multiple correlation coefficient is given in Table 4. / . Table 4 shows thatxn2 1 .3191, indicating that 32 percent '. \J ----.c_____...,__.__ W" "—77—” of_the variation in classroom mean achievement is explained by TPEE, TFEE, TPPSP, TRPIS, TRFJS, AND TPSAI, operating as a battery. This TABLE 4.--Multiple Correlation Coefficients of the Six Independent Variables Teacher Questionnaire on Classroom Mean Achievement. Multiple R .5649 R2 .3191 Standard error .7579 76 means that the six independent variables taken from the teachers' questionnaires can be used as a composite index for the prediction of classroom mean achievement. From the result of the calculations based on the data presented in Table 4, an analysis of the variance was computed. The summary analysis is presented in Table 5. TABLE 5.--Ana1ysis of Variance for the Overall Regression of the Six Independent Variables, TPEE, TFEE, TRPIS, TRFJS, TPPSP, and TPSAI, with Classroom Mean Achievement. ss df MS F Ratioa Regression (about mean) 3.77 6 .628 1.0933 Error _ 8.04 14 .574 Total (about mean) 11.81 20 aF value of 2.85 required for significance at the .05 level. Inspection of Table 5 reveals that computedless than 2.85, the .05 sig- nificant F value for 6 and 14 degrees of freedom. Therefore, variables TPEE, TFEE, TRPIS, TRFJS, TPPSP, and TPSAI were not sig- nificant predictors of classroom mean. achieyemefint at the_.,05h_1_eyel. In order to help provide an answer to Question 1 of which variable within the Teacher Questionnaire is more closely related to clasSroom mean achievement, a beta weight was assigned to each independent variable. Table 6 presents the beta weights and their respective stand- ard errors for each independent variable of interest. The beta 77 TABLE 6.--Multiple Regression Beta Weights for Each Independent Variable Within Teacher Questionnaire, with Classroom Mean Achievement (N = 21). Standard Errors Variables Beta Weights ‘of Betas TPEE .82605’ .37434 TFEE -.53687 .36085 TPPSP .21291 .35113 TRPIS .25665 .24305 TRFJS -.32664 .34162 TPSAI .02307 .25728 weights will reveal the respective contribution of each independent variable to classroom mean achievement in the teacher data. Table 6 indicates that the variable Teacher Present Evalu- ations-Expectations showed the greatest contribution to classroom mean achievement. - In summary, Table 6 showed that the relative contribution (beta weights) of the six independent variables within the teacher questionnaire do differ in the relative affect on classroom mean (achievement. V Having this finding in mind, stepwise regression analysis was conducted. Stepwise Regression Analysis The findings in the preceding section indicate that the six independent variables taken from the Teacher Questionnaire do differ in their contribution to classroom mean achievement. 78 LStepwise add regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between six independent variables from the teacher questionnaire and classroom mean achievement:: The F test was com- puted to test the significance of each variable. The .05 level of probability was selected for testing the hypotheses. In the stepwise add regression analysis, the independent variable that had the highest beta weight in Table 6 was entered first into the regression equation. The summary analysis is pre- sented in Table 7. TABLE 7.--Summary 0f Stepwise Add Regression Analysis for Classroom Mean Achievement. Ind. % Variance % Added to Total a Var1able Accounted Pred1ct10n in F Entered For of Achievement Equation TPEE .116 .116 1 2.97 TFEE .094 .210 2 2.21 TRPIS .044 .254 3 1.12 TRFJS .027 .281 4 0.91 TPPSP .018 .299 5 ‘ 0. 37 TPSAI .021 .320 6 0.40 aF value of 4.39 (1,19) required for significance at the .05 level. As is apparent from Table 7, none of the F values for each of the six independent school climate variables from the Teacher Questionnaire were statistically significant predictors of classroom 79 mean achievement at the .05 level. This indicates that the attitudes of teachers are not always predictors of classroom mean achievement in fifth and sixth grade students. It is interesting to note that a total of all six climate variables accounts for 32 percent of the variance in classroom mean achievement. Teacher present expectations accounted for the largest part, some 12 percent. Teacher perception of parent-student push accounted for the smallest additional part, some 2 percent. School Climate Effects--Teacher Qpestionnaire on CLSMN The analysis was carried out on the Teacher Questionnaire data and Hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. Hypothesis 1 predicts that teacher present evaluation- expectation is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. In Hypothesis 1, the F ratio of 2.97 was too low to be sig- nificant at the .05 level. To reach significance at the .05 level of confidence, the F ratio must be at least 4.38. Thus, Hypothesis 1 was rejected. . Hypothesis 2 predicts that teacher future evaluation- expectation is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. In Hypothesis 2, the F ratio of 2.21 was too low to be significant at the .05 level. To reach significance at the .05 level of confidence, the F ratio must be at least 4.38. Thus, Hypothesis 2 was rejected. Hypothesis 3 predicts that teacher perception of parent- student push for educational achievement is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. 80 In Hypothesis 3, the F ratio of 1.12 was too low to be sig- nificant at the .05 level of confidence; the F ratio must be at least 4.38. Thus, Hypothesis 3 was rejected. Hypothesis 4 predicts that teacher reported push of indi- vidual students is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. In Hypothesis 4, the F ratio of 0.91 was too low to be sig- nificant at the .05 level of confidence; the F ratio must be at least 4.38. Thus, Hypothesis 4 was rejected. Hypothesis 5 predicts that teacher reported feelings of job Satisfaction is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. In Hypothesis 5, the F ratio of 0.37 was too low to be sig- nificant at the .05 level. To reach significance at the .05 level of confidence the F ratio must be at least 4.38. Thus, Hypothesis 5 was rejected. Hypothesis 6 predicts that teacher perception of student academic improvability is a significant predictor of classroom mean achievement. In Hypothesis 6, the F ratio of 0.40 was too low to be sig- nificant at the .05 level. To reach significance at the .05 level of confidence, the F ratio must be at least 4.38. Thus, Hypothe- sis 6 was rejected. Analysis and Interpretation of Student Data All student factors were treated as independent variables except the scores obtained from the Stanford Achievement Test_which 81 was treated as the dependent variable. This researcher attempted to investigate the prediction of academic achievement by certain social- psychological attitudinal variables operating within the school climate. To provide answers to Question 2 which states as follows: 2. What part of the variance in academic achievement as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test can be pre- dicted by social-psychological variables as measured by the perceptions of students, and teachers within the integrated black and white student p0pulations? The data presented for Question 2 were obtained from the students' responses to the student questionnaire, student self- esteem inventory, the teachers' responses to the Rating Scale for pupil adjustment, and students' achievement scores taken from the Stgnford Achievement Test results. The definition of each school climate variable was given in Chapter III. To answer Question 2, the following research hypotheses were deve10ped. Hypothesis 7: Student perceived present evaluation-expectation is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. Hypothesis 8: Student perceived future evaluation-expectation is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. Hypothesis 9: Student reported sense of futility is a signifi- cant predictor of student academic achievement. Hypothesis 10: Student perception of school academic norms is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. Hypothesis 11: Student self-esteem is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. Hypothesis 12: Teacher ratings of student adjustment is a sig- nificant predictor of student academic achieve- ment. 82 As stated in Chapter III, the racial composition of the fifth and sixth grade students was divided into three groups (black schools, white schools, and integrated school). Also, stated in Chapter I, one of the objectives of this study was to investigate school climate variables and their predictability of academic achievement. Because of the racial composition it becomes applicable to investigate each group separately to see whether the independent school climate variables have a-different pattern of association with academic achievement. Tables 8, 9, and 10 show computed simple correlation coefficients among selected school climate variables of interest for the integrated school, black schools, and white schools. Table 8 presented the computed correlation coefficients among the six independent variables and the dependent variables based on data from the integrated school. TABLE 8.--Intercorrelation Among the Social-Psychological Variables and the SAT Variable of the Integrated School.a Variables SAT 1. 1.000 SEE 2. .185 1.000 SPPEE 3. .262 .156 1.000 SPFEE 4. .134 -.009 .461 1.000 SRSOF 5. -.132 -.224 -.312 -.l75 1.000 SPSAN 6. -.247 :022 .264 .289 .034 1.000 TRSA 7. .516 .114 .264 .126 -.238 -.136 1.000 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SAT SSE SPPEE SPFEE SRSOF SPSAN TRSA aThe correlation coefficients are based upon 88 fifth and sixth grade students within the integrated school population. Correlations of .16 and above, significant at .05 level. 83 Table 9 presents the computed correlation coefficients among the six independent variables and the dependent variable based on data from the black schools. TABLE 9.--Intercorrelation Among the Social-Psychological Variables and the SAT Variable of the Black Schools. Variables SAT 1. 1.000 SSE 2 .309 1.000 SPPEE 3 .364 .355 1.000 SPFEE 4. .260 ..291 .470 1.000 SRSOF 5 -.250 -.288 -.199 -.O91 1.000 SPSAN 6 -.028 .255 .172 .240 -.065 1.000 TRSA 7 .530 .188 .272 .109 -.198 .009 1.000 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SAT SSE SPPEE SPFEE SRSOF SPSAN TRSA aThe correlation coefficients are based upon 147 fifth and sixth grade students within the black schools. Correlations 0f .16 and above, significant at .05 level. Table 10 presents the computed correlation coefficients among the six independent variables and the dependent variable based on data from the white schools. As indicated in Tables 8, 9 and 10, teachers' ratings of students' adjustment has correlated the highest with student's SAT scores in all three schools: black schools, .53; white schools, .52; and integrated school, .52. These data suggest as the student's 84 TABLE lO.--Intercorre1ation Among the Social-Psychological Variables and the SAT Variable of the White Schools.a Variables SAT 1. 1.000 SSE 2. .323 1.000 SPPEE 3. .453 .350 1.000 SPFEE 4. .225 .327 .498 1.000 SRSOF 5. -.267 -.240 -.243 -.281 1.000 SPSAN 6. -.097 .137 .125 .169 -.O42 1.000 TRSA 7. .518 .306 .387 .228 -.263 .099 1.000 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SAT . SSE SPPEE SPFEE SRSOF SPSAN TRSA aThe correlation coefficients are based upon 230 fifth and sixth grade students within the white schools. Correlations of .14 and above, significant at .05 level. VARIABLES: Stanford Achievement Test scores (SAT) 1 2 Student Self-Esteem (SSE) 3 Students' Perception of Present Evaluations- Expectations (SPPEE) 4. Students' Perception of Future Evaluations- Expectations (SPFEE) 5 Students' Reported Sense of Futility (SRSOF) 6 Students' Perceptions of School Academic Norms (SPSAN) 7 Teachers' Ratings of Student Adjustment (TRSA) adjustment improves the student's SAT scores improve. In other words, well adjusted pupils perform better than poorly adjusted pupils on standard achievement tests. This relationship is sig- nificant and positive in all three schools at the .05 level. This is not a surprising finding yet there is little previous empirical evidence to support this relationship. One explanation is that students with poor adjustment may have inadequate study habits, 85 maladaptive classroom behavior, and lack of persistence which could affect their academic achievement. Thus, the poorly adjusted students are hardly fulfilling the role of students as expected by A "significant others“ in the school social System, as evidenced by their SAT scores. The next social-psychological variable which had positive association and was significant with academic achievement was student present expectation: white schools, .45; black schools, .36; and integrated school, .26. These findings lend support to previous research findings that a student's perception of his or her teacher's feelings are related to school achievement. This indicates the more positive the student's perception of his teacher's feelings, the better was his academic achievement. The correlation coefficient between student present expectation and academic achievement was higher in the white schools than the black or integrated schools. This finding seems to imply that teachers are more of a "significant other" in the white schools than in the black and integrated schools. In other words, students within the white schools value teacher opinions higher. It is interesting to note that students' perceptions of their teachers' feelings toward them correlated positively and significantly with student academic achievement in the integrated school but at a lower magnitude than in the white and black schools. This suggested that the teacher's opinion is valued lower in the integrated school. One explanation is that the students in the integrated school do not place as much 86 value on what significant others think of them. Therefore, the effect is more modest. The correlational analysis also showed that reported sense I of futility was negatively related to academic achievement in the integrated school, r = -.l3; black schools, r = -.25: and the white schools, r = -.27. The futility variable was not significant at the .05 level within the integrated school population. The lower correlation of futility with academic achievement within the integrated school population could indicate that the students did not think of futility as a decisive factor one way or the other with their academic success. Within the black and white school popula- tons the resulting correlation coefficients were -.25 and -.27. This suggested that as feelings of powerlessness increased, academic I achievement decreased for these fifth and sixth grade students. One explanation is that the students within the black and white schools feel that they do not have the power to control their own academic success and their academic success is controlled by "significant others." It is interesting to note that student sense of futility correlates negatively and significantly with teachers' ratings of student adjustment at the .05 level of significance in all three school populations. This suggested that as feelings of powerlessness increased,students' ability to adjust to the school environment decreased. This indicates that those students who adjust to the expected role of a student perceive themselves as having some control over the outcome of the goals set forth within the school climate by "others.“ 87 The tables show that self-esteem has correlated signifi- cantly with academic achievement in the black and white schools, .31 and .32, respectively. But in the integrated schools the correla- tion between self-esteem and academic achievement of .19 was not significant at the .05 level. This finding lends support to the view that a student's feeling of personal worthiness has a greater affect on academic achievement in black and white schools than in integrated schools. This lower correlation coefficient for integrated students of .19 is difficult to explain, but it could indicate that self-esteem has a different affect on academic achieve- ment within integrated students than segregated students. Tables 10 and 11 showed that student academic norms correla- ted lower with academic achievement within the black and white schools, -.03 and -.10, respectively. These correlations in the black and white schools were not significant at the .05 level. This could imply that the students in the black and white schools did not think of academic norms as being important to academic achievement. In the integrated population the correlation between student academic norms and academic achievement was negative and significant, r = -.25 at the .05 level. This suggested that as feelings about academic norms decreased, academic achievement increased for fifth and sixth grade students in this study. One possible explanation is that the students within the integrated school were resentful of the amount of pressure being placed upon academic achievement by others in the social system. 88 The corelations between academic achievement and student perceived future evaluation-expectation were positive and signifi- cant in the black and white populations, r = .26 and r = .23. This indicated that the black and white students' perceptions about how "others" feel about their future chances of academic accomplishments affect their present academic achievement. While with the inte- grated population the correlation between academic achievement and student future evaluation-expectation was low and did not reach significant r = .13. This appears to indicate that students in the integrated population are not concerned about how "others" feel about their academic future. These correlations suggest that the variance in academic achievement of integrated pupils, black pupils and white pupils can be explained by certain social-psychological variables within the school social climate. Also, these correlation results suggest that social-psychological variables explain less of the variance in integrated school pupils, than black school pupils, or white school pupils.( This suggests that students within integrated schools are affected differently than students within black or white schools by perceptions of "others." A In order to provide an answer to the amount of variation in students' SAT scores that can be explained by the six independent variables operating jointly, multiple correlations were computed. From the correlational analysis a linear regression equation was derived and computed for each group of students (integrated, black, and white). In order to determine the degree of linear 89 dependence of students' SAT scores on the six independent variables, multiple correlations (R2) for each group of students were computed. The resulting correlations (R2) for each group of students were tested for significance. The stepwise add regression procedures were employed to each group of students to assess the relationship between the predictors and achievement. This analysis yielded multiple correlations of the best combinations of school climate social-psychological variables with the criterion achievement. The F test was computed to test the significance of each variable in increasing the variance accounted for. The .05 level of probability was selected for Hypotheses 7-12. Multiple correlation coefficients are presented for each school in Table 11. TABLE ll.--Mu1tiple Correlations of SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, and TRSA with Students' SAT Scores. School N Multiple R R2 Integrated 88 .599 .36 Black 147 .621 .39 White 230 .613 ' .38 Table 11 shows that within the integrated school, 36 per- cent; the black schools, 39 percent; and the white schools, 38 percent of the variation in students' SAT scores are explained by SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN and TRSA operating jointly. This suggested that school social-psychological variables accounted 90 for more of the variance in SAT scores within the black population than the integrated or white populations in this study. An analysis of the variance accounted for by the six social-psychological variables generated the results exhibited in Tables 12, 13, and 14. TABLE 12.--AOV for the Overall Regression with SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, TRSA Indices (Independent Variables) for Predicting SAT Scores on the Integrated School Population. SS df MS F Ratioa Regression (about mean) 65.852 6 10.975 7.5711b Error 117.421 81 1.449 Total (about mean) 183.273 87 :F (6, 81) = 2.21 Significant at .05 level. Examining Table 12 reveals that obtained F-ratio of 7.5711 is sufficient in magnitude, larger than 2.21, the .05 significance F value for 6 and 81 degrees of freedom. This indicates that the combination of variables SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN and TRSA are significant predictors of students' SAT scores within the integrated population. The analysis presented in Table 13 shows that obtained F ratio of 14.6461 is sufficient in magnitude, larger than 2.16, the .05 significance F value for 6 and 140 degrees of freedom. This suggests that the combination of variables SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, 91 TABLE l3.--AOV of the Overall Regression with SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, TRSA Indices (Independent Variables) for Predicting SAT Scores on the Black School Population. SS df MS F Ratioa Regression (about mean) 55.121 6 9.186 14.6461b Error 87.816 140 .627 Total (about mean) 142.938 146 :F (6,140) = 2.16 Significant at .05 level. TABLE 14.--AOV for the Overall Regression with SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, TRSA Indices (Independent Variables) for Predicting SAT Scores on the White School Population. SS df MS F Ratioa Regression (about mean) 164.073 6 27.345 22.468b Error 271.909 223 1.219 Total (about mean) 435.982 229 3F (6,223) = 2.14 Significant at .05 level. SPSAN and TRSA are significant predictors of students' SAT scores within the black population. Inspection of Table 14 reveals that obtained F ratio of 22.468 is sufficient in magnitude to attain significance at the .05 level of confidence. To reach significance the F ratio must be at least 2.14 with degrees of freedom of (6, 223). This suggests that the combination of variables SSE, SPPEE, SPFEE, SRSOF, SPSAN, and 92 TRSA are significant predictors of the students' SAT scores within the white population. After finding the variance significant in integrated, white, and black school populations, beta weights were computed. The beta weights will give the relative contribution of each predictor vari- able in the regression equation. A comparison of the corresponding beta weights across the three groups allows for determination of whether or not each predictor variable has the same relative impor- tance in predicting students' SAT scores. A summary of the analysis is presented in Table 15. TABLE 15.--Mu1tip1e Regression Weights (Beta) for Integrated, Black and White Populations. Beta Weight Variable Integrated White Black N = 88 N = 230. N = 147 SES .13334 .12195 .13710 SPPEE .18521 .29027 .14881 SPFEE .08875 -.O4837 .12864 SRSOF .08047 -.10447 -.09039 SPSAN -.26998 -.lll63 -.13065 TRSA .42297 .34324 .43405 The results of the analysis in Table 15 shows that the predictor consistently most weighted in all three equations was teacher's rating of student adjustment. This suggested that vari- able teacher ratings of student adjustment was the most important predictor of student SAT scores in all three school p0pulations. 93 Also, Table 15 indicates that social-psychological variables differ by school population in relative importance when predicting students' SAT scores. Overall findings in this section can be summarized as follows: 1. TRSA of students correlated with students' SAT scores at a higher level than any of the other five independent variables. 2. Therefore, the relative contribution (beta weights) of TRSA in the prediction of academic achievement (SAT scores) is greater than the contribution of the other independent variables. 3. TRSA made a greater contribution to SAT scores in the black schools than in the white schools. 4. SPPEE made a greater contribution to SAT scores in the white schools than in the black schools. 5. SPSAN made a greater contribution to SAT scores in the integrated school than in the black and white schools. 6. Further analysis showed that the relative contribution (relative weight) of the six social-psychological variables differs across the p0pulations in predicting students' SAT scores (academic achievement). The next section will deal with multiple linear stepwise add regression analysis. This technique was used to determine the most significant predictors of the dependent variable. The findings in the preceding section indicate that there is a difference in the relative contribution of each social- ' psychological variable to students' SAT scores. Having this fact in 94 mind, stepwise regression analysis was conducted on each population to find out the order of the social-psychological variables in predicting students' SAT scores in each student population. In the stepwise add regression analysis, the independent variable which had the highest beta weight with the dependent vari- able was entered first into the regression equation. The purpose of the stepwise regression analysis was to find out, firstly, the order of the social-psychological variables in predicting students' SAT scores; secondly, to find out if the order of and magnitude of additional explained variance by each independent variable differ across the three populations; thirdly, to find out which independent variables are significant predictors of students' SAT scores at the .05 level. The F value (degree of freedom) and significance for each variable when taken separately are shown for each population in Tables 16, 17, and 18. Summary analyses are presented in Tables l6, l7, and 18. Inspection of Table 16 reveals the following: Variable TRSA: The F-ratio attained magnitude of 20.288 was higher than 3.95, the .05 significance F value for l and86 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is a significant pre- dictor of academic achievement within the integrated school popula- tion. TRSA accounted for 26 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPSAN: The obtained F ratio of 6.790 was higher than 3.95, the .05 significance F value for l and 86 degrees of 95 TABLE 16.--Stepwise Regression Analysis for SAT (Integrated School; N = 88). Ind. % Variance % Added to Total a Var1able Accounted Pred1ct10n in F Entered For of Achievement Equation TRSA .256 .256 1 20.288 SPSAN .054 .310 2 6.790 SPPEE .029 .339 3 4.902 SSE .012 .351 4 2.088 SPFEE .005 .356 5 .741 SRSOF .003 .359 6 .685 aF value of 3.95 (1, 86) required for significance at the .05 level. freedom. Therefore, this variable is a significant predictor of academic achievement within the integrated school population. SPSAN accounted for addition, 5.4 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPPEE: The obtained F ratio of 4.902 was greater than 3.95, the .05 significance F value for l and 86 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is a significant predictor of academic achievement within the integrated school population. SPPEE accounted for an additional 3 percent of variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SSE: The obtained F ratio of 2.088 was lower than 3.95, the .05 significance F value for 1 and 86 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is not a significant predictor of academic 96 achievement within the integrated school population. SSE accounted for 1.2 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPFEE: The obtained F ratio of .741 was lower than 3.95, the .05 significance F value for 1 and 86 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is not a significant predictor of academic achievement within the integrated school population. SPFEE accounted for .5 of 1 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SRSOF: The obtained F ratio of .685 was lower than 3.95, the .05 significance F value for l and 86 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is not a significant predictor of academic achievement within the integrated school population. SRSOF accounted for .3 of 1 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. Inspection of Table 17 reveals the following: Variable TRSA: The F ratio obtained of 41.097 is higher than 3.91, the .05 significance F value for 1 and 145 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is a significant predictor of academic achievement within the black school population. TRSA accounted for 28 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPPEE: The F ratio obtained of 6.311 is higher than 3.91, the .05 significance F value for l and 145 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is a significant predictor of academic achievement within the black school p0pu1ation. SPPEE accounted for an addition 5.2 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. 97 TABLE l7.--Stepwise Regression Analysis for SAT (Black Schools; N = 147). Ind. % Variance % Added to Total Variable Accounted Prediction in F6 Entered For of Achievement Equation TRSA .281 .281 1 41.097 SPPEE .052 .333 2 6.311 SSE .022 .355 3 4.842 SPSAN .012 .367 4 3.508 SPFEE .011 .378 5 2.797 SRSOF .007 .385 6 1.656 aValue of 3.91 (1, 145) required for significance at the .05 level. Variable SSE: The F ratio of 4.842 was higher than 3.91,. the .05 significance F value for l and 145 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable is a significant predictor of academic achievement within the black school population. SSE accounted for an addition, 2.2 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPSAN: The F ratio obtained of 3.508 was lower than 3.91, the .05 significance F value for l and 145 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was not a significant predictor of academic achievement. SPSAN accounted for 1.2 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPFEE: The obtained F ratio of 2.797 was lower than 3.91, the .05 significance F value for l and 145 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was not a significant predictor 98 of academic achievement within the black school population. SPFEE accounted for 1.1 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SRSOF: The obtained F ratio of 1.656 was lower than 3.91, the .05 significance F value for l and 145 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was not a significant predictor of academic achievement within the black school population. SRSOF accounted for .7 of 1 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. TABLE 18.--Stepwise Regression Analysis SAT (White Schools; N = 230). Ind. % Variance % Added to Total a Var1able Accounted Pred1ct10n 1n F Entered for of Achievement Equation TRSA .214 .214 1 35.613 SPPEE .124 .338 2 22.232 SSE .015 .353 3 4.935 SPSAN .012 .365 4 4.363 SRSOF .009 .374 5 3.410 SPFEE .002 .376 6 .584 aVaTue of 3.89 (1, 228) required for significance at the .05 level. Inspection of Table 18 reveals the following: Variable TRSA: The F ratio obtained of 35.613 was higher than 3.89, the .05 significance F value for l and 228 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was a significant predictor of academic achievement within the white school population. TRSA accounted for 21 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. 99 Variable SPPEE: The F ratio obtained of 22.232 was higher than 3.89, the .05 significance F value for 1 and 228 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was a significant predictor of academic achievement within the white school population. SPPEE accounted for an additional 12 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SSE: The obtained F ratio of 4.935 was higher than 3.89, the .05 significance F value for l and 228 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was a significant predictor of academic achievement within the white school p0pu1ation. SSE accounted for an additional 1.5 percent of the variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPSAN: The obtained F ratio of 4.363 was higher than 3.89, the .05 significance F value for 1 and 228 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was a significant predictor of academic achievement within the white school population. SPSAN accounted for an additional 1.2 percent of the variance in the stu- dents"SAT scores. Variable SRSOF: The F ratio obtained of 3.410 was lower than 3.89, the .05 significance F value for l and 228 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was not a significant predictor of academic achievement within the white school population. SRSOF accounted for .9 of 1 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. Variable SPFEE: The F ratio obtained of .584 was lower than 3.89, the significance F value for l and 228 degrees of freedom. Therefore, this variable was not a significant predictor of academic 100 achievement within the white school population. SPFEE accounted for .2 of 1 percent of the explained variance in the students' SAT scores. On examining Tables 16, 17 and 18, it is apparent that some of the F values are significant and some are not significant. The findings as they relate to the hypotheses (7-12) are as following: Hypothesis 7 predicted that student perceived present evaluation-expectation is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. In this hypothesis the F ratio for the integrated population was 20.288, the black population was 41.097, and the white p0pu1ation, 35.613. These F ratios were sufficient in magnitude of the level of confidence at .05. Thus, the above hypothesis was accepted (see Tables 16, 17, and 18). Hypothesis 8 predicted that student perceived future evaluation-expectation is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. In this hypothesis the F ratio for the integrated population was .741, the black population was 2.797, and the white population, .584. These F ratios were too low in magnitude at the .05 level of significance. Thus, the above hypothesis was rejected (see Tables 16, 17, and 18). Hypothesis 9 predicted that student reported sense of futility is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. 101 In this hypothesis the F ratio for integrated population was .597; the black population, 1.656; and the white population, 3.410. These F ratios were not in excess of the .05 level of significance. Thus, the above hypothesis was rejected (see Tables 16, 17, and 18). Hypothesis 10 predicted that student perception of school academic norms is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. In this hypothesis the F ratio for integrated population was 6.790; the black population, 3.508; and the white population, 4.363. In the integrated and white populations the F ratios were sufficient in magnitude of the .05 level of significance. Only in the black population the F ratio was too low in magnitude of the .05 level of significance. Thus, the above hypothesis was accepted (see Tables 16,17, and 18). Hypothesis 11 predicted that student self-esteem is a sig- nificant predictor of student academic achievement. ’ In this hypothesis the F ratio for integrated population was 2.088; the black population, 4.842; and the white population, 4.935. In the black and white populations the F ratios were sufficient in magnitude of the .05 level of significance. Only in the integrated population the F ratio was too low in magnitude of the .05 level of significance. Thus, the above hypothesis was accepted (see Tables 16, 17, and 18). Hypothesis 12 predicted that teacher ratings of student adjustment is a significant predictor of student academic achievement. 102 In this hypothesis the F ratio for integrated population was 20.288; the black population, 41.097; and the white population, 35.618. All of the F ratios were in excess of the .05 level of significance. Thus, the above hypothesis was accepted (see Tables 16, 17, and 18). Tables l6, l7, and 18 show the results of the stepwise regression analysis, on the integrated, black, and white school populations. It is apparent that teacher ratings of student adjustment accounted for most of the variance in each student population: integrated, 27 percent; black, 28 percent; and white, 21 percent. This indicates that teacher ratings of students' adjustment (atti- tudes) predicted a greater portion of academic achievement in black schools than in white schools. This indicates that teacher attitudes of students is a characteristic of academic achievement and shows a greater reflection in black schools than in white schools. Investigation of Tables 16, 17, and 18 indicates that the integrated and white schools differ from the black schools in regard to students' perception of school academic norms as a significant predictor for students' SAT scores. In the integrated and white schools academic norms was a significant predictor of academic achievement but not in the black schools. In the integrated school students' perceived academic norms were the second highest significant predictor in regression and accounted for 5.4 percent of the variance. In the white schools 103 students' perceived academic norms was the fourth variable as a significant predictor in regression and accounted for 1.2 percent of the variance. This could suggest that the students in the integrated and white schools were more sensitive to the academic norms, but in a negative manner. The findings of the beta weights and correlation analysis of academic norms with academic achievement revealed that the association between the two were negative (see Tables 8, 9, 10, and 15). A possible reason for this negative feeling about academic norms could be related to the degree of emphasis placed on academic norms by "others" in the school climate which stimulated strong resentment by the students toward academic norms. It is worth noting that students' self-esteem was not a significant predictor within the integrated school climate as it was in the black and white school climate. It is possible that the integrated students had a higher personal judgment of worthiness, and felt better about them- selves. One possible reason is that the school ethnic and racial composition helped these students develop a stronger perceived self and self-esteem. Student present evaluations-expectations showed similar strength and direction as a significant predictor in the blaCk and white schools. However, in the integrated school student present evaluations-expectations emerged as a significant predictor but did differ in order and magnitude. This could reflect that the opinions of others do not mean as much personally to the students within the integrated school as they do to the students within the white and black schools in this fifth and sixth grade group. 104 Tables 16, 17, and 18 show that students' future evaluations- expectations and student reported sense of futility showed negligible difference between the order of position and magnitude in the three schools. Also, student future evaluations-expectations and student reported sense of futility did not emerge as significant predictors of academic achievement in either of the three schools. These results indicate the unimportance of student perceived of student perceived sense of futility and student future evaluations- expectations as predictors within the school climate in this study. With student perceived sense of futility these findings differ from what has been found from research carried out on low SES groups in the United States. One possible reason for student sense of futility not being a significant predictor and having a negative relationship with academic achievement is there must be some other factor operating which forces sense of futility and academic achieve- ment to diverge. To some degree, sense of futility and academic achievement must be contradictory characteristics, the presence of one tends to exclude the other. With students' future evaluations- expectations not emerging as a significant predictor. This suggests that student's academic achievement is independent of the student's feelings of future expectations of "others" in this study. In summary, teacher ratings of student adjustment may be used as a single predictor for estimating students' academic achievement. For all three groups, variables teacher ratings of student adjustment, student present evaluations-expectations, student 105 self-esteem, and student perceived academic norms were found to be better predictors of student academic achievement in this fifth and sixth grade data. Although most of the variability in the SAT variable was accounted for by the same variables. However, the independent vari- ables did differ from each other slightly in pattern and magnitude. The social-psychological school climate variables computed from the student data were found to have a lesser contribution to prediction of student academic achievement within the integrated school than within the black or white schools. The social-psychological school climate variables computed from the teacher data were found to be not significant predictors of classroom mean achievement as measured by the students' Stanford Achievement Test scores in this study. The summary of this study and the major findings, conclusions, and recommendations are presented in Chapter V. CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summar The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between certain social-psychological variables comprising the school social climate and the standardized achievement test scores of fifth and sixth grade students in Ecorse Public Schools. More specif- ically, to find out from a selected number of social-psychological variables which are the strongest predictors of a student's Stanford Achievement Test scores. A compendium of this study's findings revealed that seven variables deserved c0nsideration and that five of the seven should receive marked attention. The variables that showed the greatest strength as predic- tors of standardized achievement test scores were: teacher ratings of student adjustment, student present perceived evaluation- expectation, student self-esteem, and student perception of school academic norms. These four predictors were significant at the .05 level. A discussion of the findings of all the predictors will be considered later in this chapter. The information accumulated through the use of the data was analyzed, and resulted in the following findings. 106 107 Findings 1. TRSA variable was found to be the most powerful significant predictor of academic achievement within the integrated, black, and white schools. TRSA was found to be a stronger pre- dictor of fifth and sixth grade students' Stgpford Achievement Test scores in black and integrated schools than in white schools. TRSA variable showed a positive significant relationship to variables SSE, SPPEE, and SPFEE. TRSA variable showed a negative significant rela- tionship with variable SRSOF. This means that well adjusted students feel that they have the power to control their academic performance. TRSA variable was not significant with variable SPSAN. The correla- tion between TRSA with academic achievement were integrated school, .52; black schools, .53; and white schools, .52. TRSA was the high- est correlated social-psychological variable with academic achieve- ment. Therefore, TRSA accounted for at least one-quarter of the variability in academic achievement, and its contribution to predic- tion was significant at the .05 level. Thus, this researcher found that the social-psychological variable which had the greatest significant positive influence on predictability of achievement was the variable TRSA. Thus, it appears that the TRSA variable can make a worthwhile contribution in a prediction battery that consists of social-psychological school climate variables. It is hopeful that the TRSA variable will be included in future research on the effects of elementary school achievement. 2. In this study it was found that SPPEE had a significant positive relationship with academic achievement. SPPEE was found to 108 be a significant predictor of academic achievement in white, black, and integrated schools. SPPEE demonstrated greater power to predict academic achievement within white schools than within black or integrated schools. As shown in previous research, the variable SPPEE is an effective variable in predicting academic achievement. 3. Variable SPFEE correlated positive with achievement in all schools. SPFEE showed the highest correlation with achievement in the black schools, .26; followed by white schools, .22; and integrated school, .13. SPFEE predicted more of the variance in black schools than in integrated or white schools. But SPFEE was not a significant predictor of academic achievement at the .05 level in either of the three schools. Therefore, the researcher finds this variable potentially important as a predictor of academic achievement in schools that consist of a large population or total population of minorities. 4. SRSOF variable showed negative correlations with achieve- ment in all schools. Variable SRSOF showed the highest correlations with achievement within white schools, -.27; followed by black schools, -.25; and integrated school, -.l3. SRSOF variable was not a significant predictor of achievement in any of the schools. Since variable SRSOF showed correlation coefficients of -.27, -.25, and -.l3, respectively, with achievement within the three school popula- tions, this variable deserves future researching. 5. Variable SPSAN showed a negative correlation coefficient with achievement within all the schools. This means that the stu- dents disagree with the members of the school social systems as to 109 the importance of the student role. SPSAN had the highest simple correlation coefficient within the integrated school, -.25; white schools, -.10; and black schools, -.O3. SPSAN was a significant predictor of achievement at the .05 level within the integrated and white schools. Variable SPSAN showed its greatest predictability within the integrated school. Within the integrated school variable SPSAN significantly predicted 5.4% of the additional explained vari- ance in achievement. Within the white school the SPSAN variable significantly predicted 1.2% of the explained variance in achieve- ment. Unlike the integrated and white schools, within the black schools the SPSAN variable was not significant. This researcher finds this variable a potential factor in future research with aca- demic achievement. 6. Variable SSE correlated positive with achievement within all schools. The simple correlation coefficient within white schools was .32 followed by black schools, .31, and integrated school, .19. The variable SSE was found to be a significant predic- tor of achievement within the white and black schools. Within the black schools SSE accounted for an additional 2.2% of the variance in academic achievement at the .05 level of significance. Within the white schools the SSE variable explained an additional 1.5% of the variance at the .05 level of significance. Unlike the black and white schools within the integrated school the SSE variable was not a significant predictor of achievement. Thus, SSE is an impor- Itant variable in future achievement research. 110 7. With respect to Hypotheses 1-6, it was found in this study that teacher school climate variables (Teacher Present Evaluations-Expectations, Teacher Future Evaluations Expectations, Teacher Perceived Parent-Student Push for Educational Achievement, Teacher Reported Push of Individual Students, Teacher Reported Feel- ings of Job satisfaction, and Teacher Perceptions of Student Academic Improvability) were not significant predictors of classroom mean achievement at the .05 level of confidence. 8. The following social-psychological school climate vari- ables were significant predictors of SAT scores for the integrated school (34 percent): (a) TRSA, (b) SPSAN, and (c) SPPEE. 9. The following social-psychological school climate vari- ables were significant predictors of SAT scores for the black schools (36 percent): (a) TRSA, (b) SPPEE, and (c) SSE. 10. The following social-psychological school climate vari- ables were significant predictors of SAT scores for white schools (37 percent): (a) TRSA, (b) SPPEE, (c) SSE, and (d) SPSAN. Conclusions The conclusions that are drawn from this research are based upon the findings reached in this study. 1. Within the integrated school population of fifth and sixth grade students the three most powerful significant predictors of achievement were TRSA, SPSAN, and SPPEE. The most powerful pre- dictor of academic achievement was TRSA followed by SPSAN, and SPPEE as less powerful predictors. 111 2. Within the white schools population of fifth and sixth grade students the four most powerful significant predictors of achievement were TRSA, SPPEE, SSE, and SPSAN. The most powerful predictor of academic achievement was TRSA followed by SPPEE, SEE, and SPSAN. 3. Within the black schools the three most powerful sig- nificant predictors of achievement were TRSA, SPPEE, and SEE. The most powerful predictor of achievement was TRSA followed by SPPEE, and SSE as less powerful predictors of achievement within this battery of social-psychological variables. 4. Within the total school p0pu1ation of fifth and sixth grade students the six teacher social-psychological school climate variables taken singly or in multiples did not significantly predict academic achievement. 5. In this experimental research Students' Perceived Future Evaluations-Expectations, and Students' Reported Sense of Futility were not significant predictors of academic achievement in either of the three schools. 6. In this experimental research TRSA was the most powerful significant predictor of academic achievement in all three different populations. TRSA predicted a larger proportion of the explained variance within the black and integrated populations than within the white population. In general, it appears safe to conclude that certain social- psychological school climate variables are predictors of standardized achievement test scores. These social-psychological variables will 112 vary from school to school as greater or lesser significant pre- dictors. Since each school has its own unique social system these predictors show a different relationship to the standardized achievement test scores. Discussion The first research question dealing with the effects of teacher attitudes upon students' academic performance were not supported by the Teacher Questionnaire data. However, data from the Teacher Ratings of Student Adjustment did support research Question 1. Consequently, this present study does support the assumption that student standardized achievement test scores are affected by teacher attitudes. . In this analysis pertaining to the student data it was illustrated how important social-psychological variables are to academic achievement in the school social climate. As predicted social-psychological variables contributed their share to the SAT variance. Teacher ratings of student adjustment (TRSA) was signifi- cantly related and was the most powerful predictor of the standard- ized achievement test scores. This means that well adjusted students score well, and poorly adjusted students score poorly on standardized achievement test. In other words, if one knows how well the student is adjusted to the role of a student, he can predict fairly closely the student's SAT soores. Since the findings of this research suggested that the dif- ferences in academic achievement between well adjusted and poorly 113 adjusted pupils tend to greater than expected, at the elementary level. It is quite possible that this maladjusted behavior in ele- mentary schools and classrooms decreases the opportunities to learn basic skills. It also appears likely that failure to achieve basic skills produces future frustration in future learning situations. Student present evaluations-expectations (SPPEE) entered the stepwise regression equation second for the data from the white and black students, and third for the data from the integrated stu- dents of these fifth and sixth graders. Firstly, this means that SPPEE has the power to predict a certain percentage of the variance in standardized achievement tests. Secondly, this means that SPPEE has demonstrated the power to predict a larger additional percentage of variance in standardized achievement tests in white schools than in black and integrated schools. Thirdly, this means that students' interpretation of how "others" feel about them has a greater influ- ence on the standardized achievement tests in predominantly white students, than all black and integrated students. The stepwise regression analysis revealed that a gain in predictability of student standardized achievement test (SAT) was significant in the black and white schools, but not in the integrated school when the student's self-esteem scores were added to the bat- tery. This means that student self-esteem is important to achieve- ment of fifth and sixth graders in the black and white schools, but not to the fifth and sixth graders in the integrated school. One valid explanation for this difference is that the integrated school was more successful in developing a student's feelings of personal 114 worthiness. Thus, the integrated school is more effective in elimi- nating the influence that self-esteem has on achievement. The gain in predictability of student SAT scores was sig- nificant when students' academic norms (SPSAN) scores were added to the stepwise regression equation in the integrated students and white students but not in the black students. This indicates that SPSAN is a more powerful significant predictor of,standardized achievement test scores in integrated schools and white schools, than in black schools. The correlational analysis and the beta weights analysis revealed that academic norms are negatively related to the student's SAT scores. This indicates that as favorable feelings toward aca- demic norms decreases, students' SAT scores increase. This means that there is more negative resentment toward stress for academic performance by the students within the integrated and white schools than within the black schools. One possible explanation is that the emphasis placed upon academic norms by "significant others" differs within each school. Or students in different schools may perceive the emphases placed upon academic norms differently. The gain in predictability of student SAT scores was not significant when student future evaluation-expectation (SPFEE) or student sense of futility (SRSOF) were added to the stepwise regres- sion equations of the integrated, black, or white groups. This indicates that SPFEE and SRSOF were not significant predictors in the prediction battery of social-psychological school climate variables that consist of measures of TRSA, SPPEE, SSE, and SPSAN to 115 standardized achievement test scores in the fifth and sixth graders of either group, integrated, black or white. In this analysis pertaining to the student data, there appears to be no doubt that factors other than aptitude predict academic achievement. Some of the social-psychological variables in this study did explain a significant portion of the variance in the students' SAT scores. The overall conclusions are: a. Some of the social-psychological variables comprising the school climate significantly affected the SAT scores of all the fifth and sixth grade students. b. The social-psychological school climate variables that had the greatest affect on student SAT scores were teacher ratings of student adjustment, student present perceptions of expectations, student self-esteem, and student perceptions of academic norms. The above social-psychological variables significantly accounted for the variance in student SAT scores in this study. It should be noted that student perceptions of academic norms were not significant in the black schools. c. The social-psychological school climate variables had less affect on the standardized achievement test scores of integrated students than on students attending all-black or all-white schools. d. The social-psychological school climate variables as single predictors did differ in ability to predict standardized achievement test scores of integrated, black, and white students. It should be noted that teacher ratings of students' adjustment predicted a larger percentage of the variance within the black 116 schools. On the other hand, student perceived present evaluation- expectation was a noticeable stronger predictor within the white schools than within the black and integrated schools. And student perception of school academic norms was a stronger predictor within the integrated school than within the white or black schools. The student data in this study furnished empirical evidence that certain social-psychological variables in a low SES school climate were significant predictors of standardized achievement teSt scores. Future studies may explain how social-psychological school climate variables have a different affect on students attending integrated, segregated and low or high achieving schools. Thus, to improve academic performance a change in normative school climate is justified. Recommendations Keeping with the limitations expressed in this investigation there are significant findings that should be stated as recommenda- tions. 1. Since this research has value for educators, sociolo- gists, social scientists, a larger number of schools with more diversity should be investigated. 2. Because children's adjustment is often affected by their parents' attitudes, it is recommended that further research involve a study of parental attitudes concerning school adjustment. It would be of interest to educators, counselors, and parents to know 117 if children of parents who have positive attitudes toward school adjustment would differ on standardized achievement scores from children whose parents have negative or indifferent attitudes toward school adjustment. 3. Social environment within the community is another variable that could be of importance within the general problem of school adjustment. It would be of interest to investigate the impact that different communities have on academic achievement test scores. 4. In view of the fact that this study was concerned only with fifth and sixth grade students, it would also be interest- ing to see if a similar relationship exists between academic achieve- ment and adjustment ratings of earlier elementary students. 5. The relationship between school adjustment and school failure such as under-achievement, drop-out rates and delinquency should become a future research priority. 6. 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Journal of Educational Research 59 (1965): 28-30.‘ APPENDICES 129 APPENDIX A STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE 130 131 SCHOOL SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT STUDY STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE Sponsored by Michigan Department of Education and Michigan State University Dr. Wilbur Brookover, Professor of Sociology and Education, Project Director DIRECTIONS: We are trying to learn more about students and their work in schools. We would, therefore, like for you to respond to the following ques- tions. This is not a test of any sort and will not affect your work in school. Your teacher and your principal will not see your answers. There are no right or wrong answers, we simply want you to tell us your answer to each question. 1. Name v.— ‘— PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS BY CIRCLING THE NUMBER ON THE RIGHT OF YOUR BEST ANSWER TO THE QUESTION. PICK ONLY ONE ANSWER FOR EACH QUESTION: 2. How old were you on your last birthday? 9 years old ...... 1. 10 years old ...... 2. 11 years old ...... 3 12 years old ...... 4. 13 years old ...... S 3. Are you a boy or girl? boy .00... 10 girl 0.0000 2s 4. What grade are you in? 3rd grade ...... I 4th grade ...... 2 5th grade ...... 3. 6th grade 0.0... 4 7th grade ...... 5 5. Please write your teacher's name. 6. Please write the name of your school. 7. 132 How many years have you been at this school? Less than 1 year ..... . 2 years ' ..... . 3 years ...... 4 years ...... 5 years ...... 6 years ...... 7 years or more ...... If your father does not live with you or if he is not alive, please answer this question for the person in your house who makes the most money. 8. What type of work does your father do? (Give a short description of his job) THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ARE TO BE ANSWERED BY CIRCLING THE NUMBER ON THE RIGHT OF THE CORRECT ANSWER. REMEMBER, NO ONE WILL SEE YOUR ANSWERS EXCEPT THOSE OF US FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, SO PLEASE TELL US JUST WHAT YOU THINK. (Pick only one answer for each question) 9. IO. 11. 12. If you could go as far as you wanted in school, how far would you like to go? Finish grade school ...... Go to high school for a while ..... . Finish high school ...... Go to college for a while ..... . Finish college ...... How many students in this schooi try hard to get a good grade on their weekly tests? Almost all of the students ...... Host of the students ...... Half of the students . ..... Some of the students ...... Almost none of the students ...... How many students in this school will work hard to get a better grade on the weekly tests than their friends do? Almost all of the students ..... . Most of the students ...... Half of the students ...... Some of the students ...... Almost none of the students How many students in this school don't care if they get bad grades? Almost all of the students ...... Most of the students ...... Half of the students ...... Some of the students ...... Almost none of the students ...... 13. 14. IS. 16. 17. 18. 19. How many students in this school do more studying for weekly tests than they have to? 133 Almost all of the students Most of the students ' Half of the students Some of the students Almost none of the students If most of the students here could go as far as they wanted in school how far would they go? Finish grade school Go to high school for a while Finish high school Go to college for a while Finish college If the teacher that you like the best told you that you were a poor student how would you feel? I'd feel very bad I'd feel somewhat bad It wouldn't bother me very much It wouldn't bother me at all How important is it to you to be a good student? It's the most important thing I can do It's important, but other things are just as important It's important, but other things are more important It's not very important If your parents told you that you were a poor student, how would you feel? I'd feel very bad I'd feel somewhat bad It wouldn't bother me very much It wouldn't bother me at all If your best friend told you that you were a poor student, how would you feel? How do you think most of the students in this class react when one I'd feel very bad I'd feel somewhat bad It wouldn't bother me very much It wouldn't bother me at all of you does a bad job on school work? Theyfeel badly and want to help him (her) do better They feel sorry, but don't say anything They really don't care They are secretly happy that it happened Mmer-o O... . U'IAQANH AMNH (”Nu-n mev-o AmNt-t 134 20. How do you think most of the teachers:in this school react when one of the students does a bad job on school work? They feel badly and want to help him (her) do better' ...... They feel badly, but don't really help him (her) ...... They get mad and tell him (her) to start working harder ...... They get mad but don't say anything ...... They really don't care . ...... 21. What do you think most students say when a student has done good or better than he usually does in his school work? He was just lucky, he won't do that good next time ...... Anyone could do it if they studied ...... I wish I could do as well as he did ...... I'm glad for him I hope he does as well next time ...... 22. How important do most of the students in this class feel it is to do well in school work? Almost everybody thinks it is the most important thing you can do. ...... Most students think it is quite important to do well ...... Doing well in school work is a good thing but other things are important too. ...... Most students don't seem to care howxxallthey'do, but it's okay for others to do well. ...... Most students don't seem to care how good they do, but they don't like other students to do good. ...... 23. How important do you think most of the students in this school feel it is to do well in school work? Almost everybody thinks it is the most important thing you can do. ...... Most students think it is quite important to do well ...... Doing well in school work is a good thing but other things are important too. ...... Most students don‘t seem to caie how well they do, but it's okay for others to do well. ...... Most students don't seem to care how good they do, but they don't like other students to do good. ...... PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONh BY CTRCLING THE NUMGER WHICH REST ANSWERS THE QUESTION FOR YOU. PICK ONLY ONE ANSWER FOR EACH QUESTION. 24. Think about the boys or girls you play with at recess or after school. How often do they read in their free time? Very often ...... Quite a bit ...... Sometimes, but not very much ...... Seldom ...... AJmost never ...... m-war-o abth-fi Nv—a (Rwy—0 01 4?- e o 25. 26. 27. 280 ° 29. 30. 31. 32. 135 When you and your friends are together after school or on week- ends, how often do you talk about your school work? Very often ..... l. Quite a bit . . .. 2. Sometimes, but not very much ...... 3. Seldom .. . . 4. Almost never ..... . 5. People like me will not have much of a chance to do what we want to in life. Strongly agree ...... 1. Agree ...... 2. Disagree . .. 3, Strongly disagree .... 4. People like me will never do well in school even though we try hard. Strongly agree ... 1. Agree ...... 2. Disagree ..... 3. Strongly disagree . .. . 4. I can do well in school if I work hard. Strongly agree ... 1. Agree . . . 2. Disagree . . 3. Strongly disagree . . 4. In this school, students like me don't have any luck. Strongly agree ..... 1. Agree ...... 2. Disagree ... 3. Strongly disagree ...... 4. You have to be lucky to get good grades in this school. Strongly agree .. . 1. Agree ...... 2. Disagree .... 3. Strongly disagree . .... 4. Think of your friends. Do you think you can do school work better, the same, or poorer than your friends? Better ..... l. The same ...... 2. Poorer ...... 3. Think of the students in your class. Do you think you can do 5Ch001 work better, the same, or poorer than the students in your class? Better . . 1. The same ... 2. Poorer ..... 3. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 136 When you finish high school, do you think you will be one of the best students, about the same as most of the students, or below most of the students? One of the best , ' ...... l. About the same as most of the students ...... 2. Below most of the students ...... 3. Do you think you could finish college? Yes, with no difficulty at all ...... l. Y«3s, as long as I work hard .... 2. Yes, but I will probably have a lot of difficulty . 3. No, it will be too difficult ...... 4 If you went to college, do you think you would be one of the best students, about the same as most of the students, or below most of the students? One of the best . ...... l. About the same as most of the students ...... 2. Below most of the students ...... 3. If you want to be a doctor or a teacher, you need more than 4 years of college. Do you think you could do that? H o JJOQN Yes, with no difficulty at all ...... Yes, as long as I work hard ..... Yes, but I will probably have a lot of difficulty ..... . No, it will be too difficult ..... . Forget how your teachers mark your work. How good do you think your own work is? _-—' » Excellent ...... 1. Good ...... 2. About the same as most of the students ...... 3. Below most of the students ...... 4. Poor ...... 5. What marks do you think you really can get if you try? Mostly A's ...... 1. Mostly B's ...... 2. Mostly C's ...... 3. Mostly D's ...... 4. Mostly E's ...... 5. NOW WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS BY CIRCLING THE NUMBER AS YOU DID IN THE OTHER QUESTIONS. (Pick only one answer) 39. When you do good work in school who do you most want to know about it? mother ...... l. father 2 brother or sisiter ..... . 3. teacher ...... 4. ' friend ...... 5. other ...... 6. (specify) 40. 137 Who is the most interested in your work in school? Mother ...... Father ' ..... . Brother or sister ...... Teacher ...... Friend ...... Other . ..... (Specify) NOW WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR BEST FRIEND. STOP FOR A MINUTE AND THINK WHO YOUR BEST FRIEND IS. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS BY CIRCLING THE NUMBER AS YOU DID IN THE OTHER QUESTIONS. REMEMBER, YOUR BEST FRIEND WILL NOT SEE YOUR ANSWERS. (Pick only one answer) 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 45. How far do you think your best friend believes you will go in school? Finish grade school ...... Go to high school for a while ...... Go to college for a while ...... Finish college ...... How good a student does your best friend expect you to be in school? One of the best ..... Better than most of the students ..... Same as most students ..... Not as good as most students ..... He doesn't really care ..... Think of your best friend. Would your best friend say you can do school work better, the same, or poorer than other people your age? ‘ Better ..... 'mesmw..u.. Poorer .... Would your best friend say that your grades would be with the best, same as most, or below most of the students when you graduate from high school? With the best ...... Same as most ...... Below most ...... Does your best friend think you could finish college? Yes ...... ’43ch o o o o e o N() 00.... Remember you need more than four years of college to be a teacher or doctor. Does your best friend think you could do that? Yes ..... Maybe ...... No ...... :mel—I C‘UT AMNH o... MbMNv-a O... O NH NH N DINH 47. 138 What grades does your best friend think you can get? Mostly A s . .. Mostly B's .. ... Mostly C's ...... Mostly D's .. ... Mostly E's .. .. NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEACHERS IN THIS SCHOOL. CIRCLING THE NUMBER. BE AS HONEST AS YOU CAN. 48. 49. SO. 51. 52.__ ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AS YOU ANSWERED THE OTHER ONES BY REMEMBER, N9 TEACHER WILL SEE YOUR ANSWERS SO Of the teachers that you know in this school how many tell students to try hard to do better on tests? Almost all of the teachers ...... Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none teachers ...... teachers ...... teachers ...... of the teachers ...... How many teachers in this school tell students to try and get better grades than their classmates? Almost all of the teachers ...... Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none Of the teachers that you know in this school how if the students get bad grades? teachers ...... teachers ...... tCAChers ...... of the teachers ...... many don't care Almost all of the teachers ...... Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none Of the teachers that you know in this school how to do extra work so that they can get better grades? teachers ...... teachers ...... teachers ...... of the teachers ...... many tell students Almost all of the teachers ...... Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none Of the teachers that you know in this school how students work too hard ? Most of the Half of the teachers ...... teachers ...... teachers ...... of the teachers ...... many make the Almost all of the teachers ...... teachers ...... teachers . ...... teachers ...... Some of the Almost none of the teachers ...... MAMNH Uta-MNH méMNH thNt—t S3. 54. SS. 56. 57. S8. 139 Of the teachers that you know in this school how many don't care how hard the student works, as long as he passes? Almost all of the teachers ...... Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none teachers teachers teachers of the teachers If the teachers in this school think a student can't do good work, how many will try to make him work hard anyway? Almost all of the teachers Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none teachers teachers teachers of the teachers Of the teachers that you know in this school, how many think it is not good to ask more work from a student than he is able to do? Almost all of the teachers Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none teachers teachers teachers of the teachers Of the teachers that you knew in this school, how many believe that students should be asked to do only work which they are able to do? Almost all of the teachers Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none teachers teachers teachers of the teachers How far do you think the teacher you like the best believes you will go in school? Finish grade school Go to high school for a while ... Finish high school Go to college for a while Finish college How good of a student does the teacher you like the best expect you to be in school? One of the best Better than most of the students Same as most students Not as good as most students She siesn't really care 00.... l 2. 3 I ~ 5. mwav-o MbuNb-n U14ab-INr-n 140 59. Think of your teacher. iould your teacher say you can do school work better, the same, or poorer than other people your age? Better 000000 The same ...... Poorer ...... 60. Would your teacher say that your grades would be with the best same as most, or below most of the students when you graduate from high school? With the best ...... Same as most ...... Below most ...... 61. Does your teacher think you could finish college? Yes ...... ”{1ch one... No .00... 62. Remember you need more than four years of college to be a teacher or doctor. Does your teacher think you could do that? Yes ...... HHYbe ...... N0 0000.0 63. What grades does your teacher think you can get? Mostly A's ...... Mostly B's ...-.- Mostly C'S‘ ...... Mostly D's ...... Mostly E's ...... NOW, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PARENTS. ANSWER THEM THE SAME WAY YOU ANSWERED THE OTHER ONES. 64. How far do you think your parents believe you will go in school? Finish grade school ...... Go to high school for a while ...... Finish high school ...... Go to college for a while ...... Finish college ...... 65. How good of a student do your parents expect you to be in school? One of the best Better than most of the students ...... Same as most of the students ...... Not as good as most of the students ..... . They don't really care ...... 66. Think of your mother and father. Do your mother and father say you can do school work better, the same, or poorer than your friends? Better ' ..... . Same as most ...... Poorer ...... MIQH MbuNt-t U'IbuNr—o {A 67. 68. 69. 70. 141 Would your mother and father say that your grades would be with the best, same as most, or below most of the students when you finish high school? Do they think you could finish college? The best Same as most - Below most Yes Maybe No Remember, you need more than four years of college to be a teacher or doctor. Do your mother and father think you could do that? Yes Maybe . No What grades do your mother and father think you can get? Mostly A's Mostly B's Mostly C's Mostly D's Mostly E's NOW WE WANT TO ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL OF THIS SCHOOL. 71. 72. 73. REMEMBER, YOUR PRINCIPAL WILL NOT SEE YOUR ANSWERS. How many students in this school do you think the principal believes can get high grades? Almost all of the students Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none students students students of the students How do you think your principal would grade the work of the students in this school, compared to other schools? How many of the students in this school do you think the principal believes will finish high school? Would grade Would grade Would grade Would grade Would grade it much better it somewhat better ..... . it the same it somewhat lower ..... it much lower Almost all of the students Most of the Half of the Some of the Almost none students students students of the students U‘lwat-o “Nb-I 0.. MbMNv-d mAth—o 142 74. How many of the students in this school do you think the principal believes will go to college? Almost all of the students ...... Most of the students ...... Half of the students ...... Some of the students ...... Almost none of the students ...... 75. How many of the students in this school do you think the principal believes will finish college? Almost all of the students ...... Most of the students ...... Half of the students ...... Some of the students ...... Almost none of the students ...... 76. When I do a good job on my school work, I am more popular with other students. Yes ...... 1. No ...... 2. Doesn't make any difference ...... 3. 77. If I do well in school, it will be easier for me to get the job I want when I graduate . Yes 0 o o o o e 1. No ...... 2. Doesn't matter ...... 3. 78. My parents allow me greater freedom when I do well in school. Yes ...... 1. No ...... 2. Doesn't matter ...... 3. 79. If you came home with a good report card, what would your parents most likely do? Nothing in particular. . . . 1. Praise me .. . 2. Give me special privileges . ... 3. Give me money or some special reward . . 4. Other .. 5. (specify) 80. If you came home with a poor report card, what would your parents most likely do? Nothing in particular . . l. Scold me . 2. Take away privileges . . 3. Punish me severely in some way .. 4. Other . . . 5. (specify) . 81. Sometimes what you want to happen is not what you think will happen. How far do you think you will go in school? Finish grade school ...... 1.’ Go to high school for a while,,,,,, 2, -inish high SC 001 . ...... 3. .o to col ego or a while ... 4. Finish college .... S. APPENDIX B TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE 143 144 Teacher Questionnaire (Revised Draft) School Social Environment Study Sponsored by Michigan Department of Education and Michigan State University This research project is being carried out under the supervision of Dr. Wilbur B. Brookover Professor of Sociology and Education, and Associate Director, Center for Urban Affairs Michigan State University ' East Lansing, Michigan Tel. 517 353-9506 Any questions should be directed to Dr. Brookover 145 l. Directions: The information which you give us on this questionnaire is completely confidential. No one will see your answers except the members of our research staff. Reports will be made with aggregate data, and no one person will be identified with his or her data. After your questionniare has been com- pletely coded and punched on IBM cards, your questionnaire will be destroyed. Complete confidentiality is assured. It is very important that you be as candid as possible in your answers. Do not respond to any question that you feel is too ”personal” or that you for any other reason, prefer to leave unanswered. Please do not write on this 'side of the !line. I 2. Sex (Please check appropriate line) E 3 l female ! male { I 3. Please write the name of this school. ! 5' 3' i 4. How long have you taught in this school? i 6' 7' I 5. How long have you taught school? .8- 5 6. What grade level are you teaching? TD- 7. How much Formal preparation do you have? (circle the number ll of the correct answer) . less than a Bachelors degree Bachelors degree . some graduate work but less than Masters degree Masters degree ' i more than Masters degree but not Doctorate . Doctor’s degree O‘mauNu-o 8. How did you feel about this school before coming here? (give general! T? attitude) 3 I l 146 9a. Has your attitude changed since? (circle number of correct answer) 1. yes 2. no 9b. If so, how? ch would like to ask you some questions about grouping practices and use of standardized tests in this school. Please feel free to write any additional comments after each question. 10. In general, what grouping procedure is practiced across sections of particular grade levels in this school? homogeneous grouping according to ability heterogeneous grouping according to ability random grouping no intentional grouping other (indicate) mau'Nu-n 11. In general, what grouping procedure is practiced within your class? 1. homogeneous grouping according to ability 2. heterogeneous grouping according to ability 3. random grouping 4. no intentional grouping 5. other (indicate) 12. How important do you think the standardized test scores of your students are? very important somewhat important not very important not important at all baton-a . 0 Please do not write on this side of the line. 3 13. 147 How often do you use the standardized test scores of your students? 1. very often 2. often 3. sometimes 4. seldom 5. never Please answer each of the following questions by circling the letter before the choice which most nearly answers the question for you. 14. 16. On the average what level of achievement can be expected of the students in this school? much above national norm . slightly above national norm approximately at national norm slightly below national norm much below national norm MAMNu—o 0n the average what level of achievement can be expected of the students in your class? . much above national norm . slightly above national norm approximately at national norm slightly below national norm much below national norm Mwat—c What percent of the students in this school do you expect to com- plete high school? ‘ . 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more . less than 30% méri—o Please do not write on this side of the line. l7. 18. 19. 21. 148 What percent of the students in your class do you expect to complete high school? 1 90% or more 2. 70% or more 3. 50% or more 4. 30% or more 5. less than 30% What percent of the students in this school do you expect to attend college? 90% or more . 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more . less than 30% MAWNH What percent of the students in your class do you expect to attend college? 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more less than 30% MbuNt—a What percent of the students in this school do you expect to completeéd. college? 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more less than 30% 'flhtht—o .0... What percent of the students in your class do you expect to complete college? . 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more . less than 30% mwav-I 1 22. 24. 149 How many of the students in this school are capable of getting mostlygg' A's and 0'5? 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more less than 30% £11.50le Now many of the students in your class are capable of getting mostly A's and B's? . 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more less than 30% (118-“NH How would you rate the academic ability of the students in this school compared to other schools? ability here is much higher ability here is somewhat higher ability here is about the same . ability here is somewhat lower ability here is much lower mbuNr-I What percent of the students in this school would you say want to complete high school? 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more less than 30% 01¢me What percent of the students in your class would you say want to complete high school? I. 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more . less than 30% MAMN O ’- ‘ “M-A -IJ- El 27. 28. 150 What percent of the students in this school would you say want to go to college? 90% or more . 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more . less than 30% U'IA‘vJNt—o What percent of the students in your class would you say want to go to college? . 90% or more 70% or more .50% or more £30% or more gloss than 30% mean—o Please remember, your answers to all of these questions are completely confidential. No one but our research staff will see your answers. 29. 30. 3 How much do you enjoy your teaching respnsibilities in this school? 1. very much 2. much 3. average 4. little 5. ‘not at all i C If someone were to offer you an interesting and secure non- teaching job for $1,000 more a year, how seriously would you consider taking the job? . very seriously somewhat seriously not very seriously .not at all AMNH Dal 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 01.3me 151 If someone were to offer you an interesting and secure non- teaching job for $3,000 more a year, how seriously would you consider taking the job? . very seriously somewhat seriously not very seriously . not at all aqu—I How often do you stay after school to help students? 1. very often 2. often 3. sometimes 4. seldom 5. never What percent of the students in this school do you think the principal expects to comnlgtg_high school? 90% or more . 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more . less than 30% Q What percent of the students in this school do you think the principal expects to attend college? . 90% or more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more less than 30% magnum 0. What percent of the students in this school do you think the principal expects to complete college? 1. 90% or more 2. 70% or more 3. 50% or more 4. 30% or more 5 iless than 30% 36. 37. 38. 152 How many'students in this school do you think the principal believes are capable of getting mostly A's and B's. . 70% or more 50% or more . 30%;or more . less than 30% l. 90% or more 2 3. 4 5 How do you think your principal rates the academic ability of the students in this school, compared to other schools? . rates it much better rates it somewhat better rates it the same rates it somewhat lower rates it much lower (fl-humid Completion of high school is a realistic goal which you set for what perCentage of your students? 1. . 90%!or more 2. 70%;or mere 3. 50%.or more 4. 30%Eor more 5. less than 30% Completion of college is a realistic goal which you set for what percentage of your students? I 90%ior more 70% or more 50% or more 30% or more . less than 30% U'I-BwNu-n How often do you stress to your students the necessity of a post high school education for a good job and/or a comfortable life? 1. very often 2. often 3. sometimes 4. seldom 5. never 1 i4 | l I 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 153 For those students who do not have the resources which will allow ' them to go to college, you are careful not to promote aspirations in them which probably can not be fulfilled. 1. strongly agree 2. agree 3. not sure 4. disagree 5. strongly disagree The teachers in this school push students to work too hard. strongly agree agree not sure . disagree strongly disagree MAMNH How many teachers in this school aren't concerned how hard most students work, as long as they pass? . almost all of the teachers most of the teachers half of the teachers some of the teachers . almost none of the teachers MAMNH It is unfair to demand more from a student than he is capable of giving. 1. strongly agree 2. agree 3. not sure 4. disagree 5 . strongly disagree If you think a student is not able to do some of the school work you won't try to push him very hard. 1. strongly agree 2. agree 3. not sure 4. disagree 5. strongly disagree 48. 49. SO. 154 For most students you are very careful not to push them to their frustration level. strongly agree agree not sure disagree strongly disagree 'J‘éuNH How many teachers in this school encourage students to try hard to improve on previous test scores? almost all of the teachers most of the teachers about half of the teachers some of the teachers almost none of the teachers MAMNr—i How many teachers encourage students to seek extra school work so that the students can get better grades? . almost all of the teachers most of the teachers about half of the teachers some of the teachers almost none of the teachers matures—a How many students in this school try hard to improve on previous work? ' almost all of the students most of the students about half of the students some of the students almost none of the students 'J‘lbble-‘l How many students in your class try hard to improve on previous work? almost all of the students most of the students about half of the students some of the students almost none of the students MAMNH ___-._....-_.m.__.. C 51. 52. S3. S4. 55. How many students in this school will try hard to do better on tests 155 than their friends do? MAMNH almost all of the students most of the students about half of the students some of the students almost none of the students How many students in your class will try hard to do better on tests than their classmates do? 1. almost all of the students 2. most of the students 3. about half of the students 4. some of the students 5. almost none of the students How many students in this school are content to do less than they should? 5. almost all of the students I go most of the students 3. about half of the students 2. some of the students 1. almost none of the students How many students in your class are content to do less than they should? 1. almost all of the students 2. most of the students 3. about half of the students U13. some of the students almost none of the students How many students in this school will seek extra work so that they can get better grades? U1.3LNNH almost all of the students most of the students about half of the students some of the students almost none of the students 'S'S’ 59 56. S7. 60. 156 How many students in your clas§_will seek extra work so that they canfifi' get better grades? meszr-n O. 0 almost all of the students most of the students about half of the students some of the students almost none of the students How many students in this school don't care when other students do much HNWAM better than they do? almost all of the students most of the students about half of the students some of the students almost none of the students How many students in your class don't care when other students do much IsuNr-I m The parents in this school service area regard this school primarily as a HNUJJam better than they do? almost all of the students most of the students about half of the students some of the students almost none of the students "baby-sitting” agency. strongly agree agree not sure disagree strongly disagree The parents of this school service area are deeply concerned that their children receive a top quality education. MAMNH strongly agree agree not sure disagree strongly disagree ml 63' .61. 62. 63. 64. 157 How many of the parents in this school service area expect their children to complete high school? 1. almost all of the parents 2. most of the parents 3. about half of the parents 4. some of the parents 5. almost none of the parents How many of the parents in this school service area expect their children to complete college? 1. almost all of the parents 2. most of the parents 3. about half of the parents 4 some of the parents . almost none of the parents U1 How many of the parents in this school service area don't care if their children obtain low grades? almost all of the parents . most of the parents about half of the parents . some of the parents almost none of the parents HNMAUI 0 o 0 How many of the parents in this school service area like feedback from the principal and teachers on how their children are doing in school? . almost all of the parents most of the parents about half of the parents some 0f the pflrents . almost none of the parents 01 .3me APPENDIX C RATING SCALE FOR PUPIL ADJUSTMENT 158 159 RATING SCALE FOR PUPIL ADJUSTMENT Be sure to compare the pupil with others of his own age group. 1. Over-all Emotional Adjustment (Definition: Total emotional adequacy in meeting the daily problems of living as shown in school.) A. Very well adjusted B. Well adjusted C. Moderately adequate adjustment D. Poorly adjusted - E. Very poorly adjusted 2. Tendency Toward Aggressive Behavior { (Definition: Overt evidence of hostility and/pr aggression toward other children and/pr school personnel.) A. Rarely aggressive B. Occasionally aggressive C. Fairly aggressive D. Frequently aggressive E. Extremely aggressive 160 3. School Conduct (Definition: Conduct in the classroom situation as evidence of his ability to accept the rules and, regulations of the school community.) A. B. C. D. E. Exceptionally good conduct Superior conduct Average conduct Somewhat inadequate. conduct- troublesome, disciplinary problem Very inadequate conduct-very serious disciplinary problem APPENDIX D STUDENT SELF-ESTEEM 161 162 ' Please mark each statement in the following way: If the statement describes how you usually Feel, put a check Q/) in the column, "Like Me." If the statement does not describe how you usually feel, put a check 6/) in the column "Unlike Me." There are no right or wrong answers. Like Me Unlike Me I. I spend a lot of time daydreaming. . 2. I'm pretty sure of myself. 3. I often wish I were someone else. h. I'm easy to like. 5. My parents and I have a lot of fun together. 6. I neVer worry about anything. 7. I find it very hard to talk in front of the class. 8. I wish I were younger. 9. There are lots of things about myself I'd _ change if I could. 10. I can make up my mind without too much trellble 0 ll. I'm a lot of fun to be with. 12. I get upset easily at home. 13. I always do the right thing. 1h. 15. .16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 2h. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 3o. 31. 32. 33- 3h. 35- 36. 163 Like Me I'm proud of my school work. Someone always has to tell me what to do. It takes me a long time to get used to anything new. I'm often sorry for the things I do. I'm popular with kids my own age. My parents usually consider my feelings. I'm never unhappy. I'm doing the best work that I can. I give in very easily. I can usually take care of myself. I'm pretty happy. I would rather play with children younger than me. ' My parents expect too much of me. I like everyone I know. I like to be called on in class. Unlike Me I understand myself. It's pretty tough to be me. Things are all mixed up in my life. Kids usually follow my ideas. No one pays much attention to me at home. I never get scolded. I'm not doing as well in school as I'd like to. I can make up my mind and stick to it. 37- 38. 39- 110. 1.1. 1+2. 1.3. 1.1.. 1.5. 1+6. h7. 118. h9. SO. 51. 52. 53. 51.. 55- 56. 57. 58. 164 Like Me I really don't like being a boy-girl I have a low opinion of myself. ' I don't like to be with other peOple. There are many times when I'd like to leave home. I'm never shy. I often feel upset in school. I often feel ashamed of myself. I'm not as nice looking as most people. If I have something to say, I usually say it. a .Kids pick on me very often. My parents understand me. I always tell the truth. My teacher makes me feel I'm not good enough. I don't care what happens to me. I'm a failure. I get upset easily when I'm scolded. Most peOple are better liked than I am. I usually feel as if my parents are pushing me. I always know what to say to peOple. Unlike Me I often get discouraged in school. Things usually don't bother me. I can't be depended on. APPENDIX E INTERCORRELATIDN TABLES 165 166 Intercorrelations of Selected Variables Based on Data from the Integrated School? 1. SAT 1.008 2. , SEE .19 1.00 3. SPPEE .26 .16 1.00 4. SPFEE .13 -.01 .46 1.00 5. SRSOF -.13 -.22 -.31 -.17 1.00 6. SPSAN -.25 .02 .26 .29 .03 1.00 7. TARS .52 .ll .26 .13 -.24 -.14 1.00 SAT SEE SPPEE SPFEE SRSOF SPSAN TABS l 2 3 4 5 6 7 Intercorrelations of Selected Variables Based on Data from the Black Schools.a 1. SAT 1.008 2. SSE .31 1.00 3. SPPEE .36 .35 1.00 4. SPFEE .26 .29 .47 1.00 5. SRSOF -.25 -.29 -.20 —.09 1.00 6. SPSAN -.03 .25 .17 .24 -.07 7. TABS .53 .19 .27 .11 -.20 1.00 SAT SSE SPPEE SPFEE SRSOF TABS 1 2 3 4 5 7 167 Intercorrelations of Selected Variables Based on Data from the White Schools? 1. , 2. 3. SAT SSE SPPEE SPFEE SRSOF SPSAN TABS 1.00 .32 places. 1.00 1.00 SPPEE 3 1.00 -.28 .17 SPFEE 4 1.00 1.00 -.10 1.00 SPSAN TABS 6 7 aCerrelation coefficients have been rounded to two decimal MICHIGAN STRTE UN V I . LIBRRRIES IHIIIWHH111111111"H IHHIIIIHHIIWIIWHI 31 2931 D 1 4263 H 55