achievement

Question 1

the idea behind cognitive vs noncognitive factors of achievement

Answer 1

• cognitive: involves ability and skills
• noncognitive: does not involve ability but are still cognitive skills

Question 2

describe the concept of achievement and why adolescence is a particularly important time to understand achievement issues

Answer 2

• achievement: development of motives, capabilities, interests, and behaviors related to performance
• greater individual differences in school performance
• education decisions have more consequences

Question 3

define the concepts and types of achievement attributions, intelligence beliefs, and motivation

Answer 3

• achievement attributions: explanations students give for their success or failure
• internal: ability or effort -> higher motivation
• external: task difficulty or luck
• fixed intelligence: unchangeable, innate
• growth: malleable, changeable

Question 4

define self-efficacy and describe its roles in achievement

Answer 4

• perceived competencies in any domain
• higher predicts achievement, but not if unrealitic
• may be more related to achievement than past achievement
• low, fixed beliefs are especially problematic

Question 5

define the concept of stereotype threat, and describe for whom it is relevant, how it relates to achievement, and how it may be addressed in interventions

Answer 5

• felt risk of conforming to stereotypes about group one belongs to
• negatively stereotyped youth
• can lead to reduction in achievement

Question 6

define the concepts of self-handicapping and fear of failure, and describe how they are relevant to achievement

Answer 6

• tendency to intentionally engage in behaviors that undermine performance, to blame another factor if failure
• often manifested by feelings of anxiety associated with achievement, related to performance motivation

Question 7

describe the importance of self-control and delay of gratification in achievement

Answer 7

• ability to wait longer for more valuable reward
• related to higher achievement

Question 8

describe the effect of learned helplessness on achievement during adolescence

Answer 8

• the belief that failure is inevitable
• trying less than others
• have more overall adjustment problems

Question 9

describe role of SES, race/ethnicity, teachers, and classroom climate in achievement - what do you know about these environmental factors as they relate to achievement?

Answer 9

• mid SES: score higher, better grades, complete more schooling, have homes with more resources, more responsive and demanding parents
• black and hispanic have lower achievement than whites, asain have highest
• SES -> better resources, more opportunities, etc