The can and cannot do attitude: How self-estimates of ability vary across ethnic and socioeconomic groups

•We examine ethnic and social class differences in the self–concept of intelligence and creativity.•Main effects are significant for both self–concept of intelligence and creativity.•Higher ability estimates are given by middle class and White students.•Interaction effects show smaller class differences for White than minority students.•White middle class advantage is more stronger for intelligence than creativity.

How people think about their own abilities is an important predictor of educational and work attainment. This study examines group differences in the self-concept of intelligence and creativity. We compared self-concept of ability in relation to ethnic group membership (White, African American, and Hispanic) and social class (working class, middle class) in a large sample of undergraduate students (N = 3289). Both ethnicity and social class were related to self-estimates of ability (favoring White and middle class students), with group differences being stronger for intelligence than creative abilities. White middle class students show an advantage in their self-concept of intelligence in comparison to minority working class students. For self-estimates of creativity, however, White middle class students show an advantage only in relation to working class Hispanic, but not African American students.