Which statement best describes upper elementary emotional growth regarding self-concept?

• A. Self-concept is unrelated to performance.
• B. Self-concept is based on achievement and comparisons to other students.
• C. Self-concept is purely based on family background.
• D. Self-concept is fixed and unchangeable.

Answer: (B)

In upper elementary emotional growth, self-concept is shaped by how students measure themselves against their own achievement and by comparisons with their peers. As kids receive grades, feedback, praise, and reactions from teachers and family, they form an idea of how competent they are academically and socially. This sense of competence is not fixed; it can grow or shrink based on continued results, effort, and the way they interpret comparisons. So, identifying self-concept with achievement and peer comparisons best captures how students at this stage understand themselves.

It’s not that self-concept is unrelated to performance, since how they view their abilities influences motivation and effort. It isn’t solely determined by family background, because peers and school experiences play a significant role too. And it isn’t fixed and unchangeable; with supportive feedback, opportunity to experience success, and strategies that build mastery, a student’s self-concept can develop over time.