Brief report: How do they manage social interaction? The influence of concealing academic achievement information on self-monitoring by adolescents with low achievement

During social interactions people self-monitor their behavior at least partially to conceal socially devalued characteristics. This study examined the influences of concealing academic achievement on self-monitoring in an academically-relevant social interaction. An interview paradigm called for school-aged adolescent participants (total N = 86) who either did or did not have low (academic) achievement to play the role of someone who did or did not have low achievement while answering academically-relevant questions. The data suggest that adolescents with low achievement (low achievers) were more likely to tailor their behaviors according to the situational cues than did those without low achievement (non-low achievers). On the other hand, low achievers who played the role of good students (these adolescents could conceal their low academic achievement characteristics) were most likely to regulate their behaviors according to their inner cues (e.g., real feelings).