The impact of social inequalities between students on academic achievement

This paper investigates the pathways leading from perceptions of social (in)equality in higher education to academic achievement via its influence on perceived environmental competitiveness and achievement goals. To test this idea, we conducted a study with university students examining whether a manipulation of perceived inequality in the academic context affects their performance on a test. Consistent with work on the opposing processes model of competition, the results showed that perceptions of (in)equality affected perceptions of environmental competitiveness which in turn impacted academic performance via its positive influence on a) performance-approach goals which favored performance, and b) performance-avoidance goals which inhibited performance. Results related to mastery-approach goals only revealed a positive effect on performance without any mediating process. This study highlights the importance of considering the impact of macro-social factors on individual processes.