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ERIC Number: EJ785074
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Dec
Pages: 12
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1040-726X
EISSN: N/A
Overestimation Bias in Self-Reported SAT Scores
Mayer, Richard E.; Stull, Andrew T.; Campbell, Julie; Almeroth, Kevin; Bimber, Bruce; Chun, Dorothy; Knight, Allan
Educational Psychology Review, v19 n4 p443-454 Dec 2007
The authors analyzed self-reported SAT scores and actual SAT scores for five different samples of college students (N = 650). Students overestimated their actual SAT scores by an average of 25 points (SD = 81, d = 0.31), with 10% under-reporting, 51% reporting accurately, and 39% over-reporting, indicating a systematic bias towards over-reporting. The amount of over-reporting was greater for lower-scoring than higher-scoring students, was greater for upper division than lower division students, and was equivalent for men and women. There was a strong correlation between self-reported and actual SAT scores (r = 0.82), indicating high validity of students' memories of their scores. Results replicate previous findings (Kuncel, Crede, & Thomas, 2005) and are consistent with a motivated distortion hypothesis. Caution is suggested in using self-reported SAT scores in psychological research.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A