Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2006):

Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: a longitudinal study and an intervention.

Full Abstract

Two studies explored the role of implicit theories of intelligence in adolescents' mathematics achievement. In Study 1 with 373 7th graders, the belief that intelligence is malleable (incremental theory) predicted an upward trajectory in grades over the two years of junior high school, while a belief that intelligence is fixed (entity theory) predicted a flat trajectory. A mediational model including learning goals, positive beliefs about effort, and causal attributions and strategies was tested. In Study 2, an intervention teaching an incremental theory to 7th graders (N=48) promoted positive change in classroom motivation, compared with a control group (N=43). Simultaneously, students in the control group displayed a continuing downward trajectory in grades, while this decline was reversed for students in the experimental group.

Learn Faster Today      Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Blackwell, Lisa S (LS); Trzesniewski, Kali H (KH); Dweck, Carol Sorich (CS);

Affiliation: Columbia University.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Child development (Child Dev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2007 Jan-Feb; vol 78 (issue 1) : pp 246-63

Dates: Created 2007/03/01; Completed 2007/05/30;

PMID: 17328703, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Adolescent Psychology Child Cohort Studies Culture Educational Status Female Helplessness, Learned Humans

Humans Intelligence Internal-External Control Longitudinal Studies Male Mathematics Motivation Psychological Theory Teaching - methods

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Socioeconomic status, schooling, and the developmental trajectories of adolescents. 30 Aug 2007
• Attributions for school success and failure by adolescent students with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 30 Mar 2008
• Long-term outcomes of an Australian universal prevention trial of anxiety and depression symptoms in children and youth: an evaluation of the friends program. 30 Aug 2006
• Body dissatisfaction prospectively predicts depressive mood and low self-esteem in adolescent girls and boys. 29 Nov 2006
• A longitudinal study of perceived parental psychological control and psychological well-being in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. 30 Dec 2006
• Symptoms of internalizing and externalizing problems: modeling recovery curves after the death of a parent. 29 Nov 2006
• Cognitive function in childhood and early adulthood and injuries later in life: the Metropolit 1953 male birth cohort. 12 Dec 2006
• Forty-year psychiatric outcomes following assessment for internalizing disorder in adolescence. 30 Dec 2006
• Adolescent expectations and desires about marriage and parenthood. 11 Mar 2007
• Processes that contribute to resilience among youth in foster care. 31 Mar 2007

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.