The correspondence between self-perceptions and perceptions by others of young children
Description
The early developmental course of the correspondence between children's self-perceptions and perceptions of them held by their teachers and peers concerning cognitive competence, peer acceptance, and physical competence was investigated in 46 preschoolers, 55 second graders, and 47 fifth graders. Self-perceptions were measured using age-appropriate forms of Harter's scales: The Self-Perceptions Profile for Children (Harter, 1985b) or the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance for Young Children (Harter & Pike, 1984). Teacher perceptions were assessed using Harter's (1985b) Teacher's Rating Scale of Child's Actual Behavior or Harter and Pike's (1984) Teacher's Rating Scale of Child's Actual Competence and Social Acceptance, Wheeler and Ladd's (1982) Teacher Rating of Social Efficacy Scale, and a 6-item behavioral questionnaire derived from the work of Coie, Dodge, & Coppotelli (1982). Peer perceptions were assessed using a multiple-criteria positive and negative nomination technique (Boivin & Begin, 1986) and the same 6-item behavioral questionnaire that was used by teachers Some support for age-related differences in self-perceptions was found. Fifth graders perceived themselves as less competent in the cognitive domain than did younger children. For peer acceptance, female's self-perceptions were slightly higher at each subsequent age, while second-grade male's self-perceptions were significantly higher than those of preschoolers or fifth graders. In the physical domain, female's self-perceptions were higher at the preschool and second-grade age levels than at the fifth-grade age level, while male children's self-perceptions were slightly lower at each subsequent age. Accuracy of self-perceptions, measured by high correspondence with others and low self-enhancement bias, depended upon the particular dimension of self being assessed, as well as upon the age and the gender of the child. In general, children's self-evaluations did not correspond well with the evaluations given by their teachers or their peers. Relative to teachers' views, younger children overestimated their cognitive competence more than did older children. By fifth grade, salient behavioral characteristics as perceived by peers and teachers correlated with self-perceptions of peer acceptance. Fifth-grade children who expressed high self-perceptions of peer acceptance were described by both peers and teachers as cooperative, leaders, not shy, and not asking for unnecessary help