Harter (1981) identified perceived anomalies in skill accuracy in his early research using the Perceived Competence Scale for Children (PCSC). Harter (1981) designed a cross-sectional study to validate the PCSC (ages 8-15) against teacher ratings in the cognitive, social, and physical domains. The study found that younger children overestimated their perceived competence, but that accuracy showed a linear improvement with age (Harter, 1981). Harter (1981) helped improve the precision of cognitive development, through which children can better understand the difference between effort and ability. However, the study did not address the implications when perceived and actual skills do not match.