Effect of Acquisition of Knowledge on Self-Evaluation and the Relationship of Self-Evaluation to Perception of Real and Ideal Self-Concept

To investigate the effect of knowledge acquisition on self-evaluation and self-concept 69 graduate nursing students—25 in an experimental group, 18 in control group I, and 26 in control group II-enrolled in three nursing courses provided demographic data, self-evaluation of entering behavior, and personality test data. The latter two tests were given on pre- and posttest bases. Seven hypotheses were tested. Overall results showedThe experimental group which was taught by means of mastery learning acquired significantly more knowledge than the control groups which received the traditional lecture-discussion method of learning; there was an inverse relationship between knowledge acquisition and self-evaluation of entering behavior; positive correlation between “amount of overestimation or underestimation of previous knowledge” and extremes of self-concept was partially supported; in general, single students were less able to evaluate accurately by what they thought they knew than were married subjects; employment was inversely related with knowledge acquisition and course grade. The relationship between self-concept and acquisition of knowledge was not significant.