A meta‐analysis of the effect of values affirmation on academic achievement. (14th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Zezhen; Spreckelsen, Thees F.; Cohen, Geoffrey L.
• Other Names: Easterbrook Matthew J. guestEditor.; Harris Peter R. guestEditor.; Sherman David K. guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of social issues. Volume 77:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 702
• Page End: 750
• Publication Date: 2021-01-14
• Subjects: achievement gap -- intervention -- self‐affirmation -- social identity threat -- stereotype threat -- values affirmation; Social problems -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- 1945- -- Periodicals; Sociology; Psychology, Social; Problèmes sociaux -- Périodiques; Psychologie sociale -- Périodiques; États-Unis -- Conditions sociales -- 1945- -- Périodiques; Sociale psychologie; Electronic journals; 305
• DOI: 10.1111/josi.12415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4537

Abstract

Abstract: This meta‐analysis assessed the impact of values affirmation on the academic achievement of students under social identity threats in actual classrooms. After a systematic search yielded 58 relevant studies, multilevel analyses identified an overall affirmation effect for identity‐threatened students (Hedges' g = .15), not for identity‐nonthreatened students (Hedges' g = .01). Heterogeneity in the affirmation effect was moderate to high for identity‐threatened students, with effect sizes associated with (1) a larger covariate‐controlled achievement gap between nonthreatened and threatened students in the control condition, suggestive of psychological underperformance, (2) the availability of financial resources in school, (3) more distal performance outcomes, and (4) the presentation of values affirmation as a normal classroom activity rather than a research study or a nonnormal classroom activity. Affirmation appears to work best when it is delivered as a normal classroom activity and where identity threat co‐occurs with resources for improvement and time to await cumulative benefits.