Crosscultural Examination of Physical Self-Concept: American and Thai College Students

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine cross-cultural differences of physical self-concept between American and Thai college students.

Methods

Participants were 575 college students purposely selected from Thailand and America (267 Thai kinesiology/PE majors, M age=23.01 years, SD=5.34; 101 American kinesiology/PE majors, M age=24.82, SD=5.56; and 207 American non-kinesiology/PE majors, M age=22.37, SD=5.64). The original version of the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ, Marsh, 1996) and a Thai-version of the PSDQ, using a 6-point true-false scale (1-6 in ascending order of assessment as true) and consisting of 70 items; 8 items each for health and global esteem, and 6-items each for coordination, action, body fat, sport, global physical, appearance, strength, flexibility, and endurance were completed by American and Thai students, respectively. Non-kinesiology American majors were included in this study to further examine the effects of physical activity on physical self-concept, compared to kinesiology/PE majors in America and Thailand.

Analysis/Results

Results indicated that there were significant differences among groups (i.e., American kinesiology/PE and non-kinesiology majors, and Thai kinesiology/PE majors) on all variables, except flexibility. American kinesiology/PE majors showed a higher physical self-concept than each other group on health (F(2,569)=34.62), coordination (F(2,568)=17.87), action (F(2,570)=10.01), body fat (F(2,569)=34.62), sport (F(2,566)=36.23), global physical (F(2,567)=11.47), appearance (F(2,566)=27.81), strength (F(2,562)=10.19), endurance (F(2,568)=9.79), and global esteem (F(2,569)=148.79), p<.001. There was no statistical difference found on flexibility, (F(2,568)=34.62, p=.253). Among American students, majors showed higher scores on all variables than non-majors. This result may reflect kinesiology/PE majors who spend more time on physical activity/sports training tend to have better fitness and skill-oriented self-concept than non-kinesiology/PE majors. Interesting results from Post Hoc tests indicated that the non-kinesiology/PE American group showed a higher score of physical self-concept on health, coordination, sport, appearance, and global esteem, compared to the Thai kinesiology/PE group.

Conclusions

As Marsh (2002) proposed, self-concept is influenced substantially by the ability levels of others in the immediate context in addition to one's own ability level. For instance, some people are more likely to base their feelings of physical self-worth on meeting standards and expectations (Kernis, 2003). The results of the study may be partially explained in socio-cultural terms, with pressure to be thin more extreme in Thailand than in America. In addition, as McFarland and Buehler (1995) found, students from collectivists countries tend to value and experience significantly smaller self-concept than students from individualistic countries. In describing any cultural difference, however, within-group differences are as great as across-group differences.