The formation of self-concept and intrinsic value in arts-related domains: Extending the generalized internal/external frame of reference model to music and visual arts.

Background: The internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model explains the formation of domain-specific academic self-concepts. The generalized I/E (GI/E) model extends the I/E model to other motivational constructs, such as intrinsic value, and to various school subjects. When extending the I/E model to various school subjects, the domains of music and visual arts have seldom been examined.

Aims: This study examined a GI/E model that included achievements, self-concepts and intrinsic values in eight school subjects, including music and visual arts.

Sample: We used a sample of N = 442 German secondary school students.

Methods: The analyses were built upon structural equation modelling.

Results: The findings demonstrated negative achievement-self-concept and achievement-intrinsic value relations between math-like and verbal-like domains, indicating contrast effects. In addition, the findings demonstrated positive achievement-self-concept and achievement-intrinsic value relations among math-like domains, indicating assimilation effects. The findings further indicated negative relations between physics achievement and music self-concept, implying a contrast effect. In addition, the findings showed a positive relation between music achievement and English self-concept and between visual arts achievement and German intrinsic value, implying assimilation effects. Academic self-concept was found to fully mediate the relation between achievement and intrinsic value within the same domains and across different domains in most cases. The findings were shown to be invariant across gender groups.

Conclusion: The present study adds to the broad field of research on the I/E and GI/E models by considering the two neglected domains of music and visual arts.