Intelligence & Achievement

Question 1

Ethnic Group differences in IQ

Answer 1

• African Americans are 1 SD lower than the population, but could be explained by within group genetic diversity.
• Could also be explained by stigmatization. i.e. stereotype threat.

Question 2

Gender differences in IQ

Answer 2

• Men outperform women on spatial intelligence
• Women outperform men on verbal tasks.

Question 3

What matters beyond IQ when it comes to achievement?

Answer 3

Engagement. Important for achievement on test and standardized test, from primary to university.

1. Affective engagement
   - interest and enthusiasm
2. Behavioral engagement
   - Involvement and effort
3. Cognitive engagement
   - Attention, planning and monitoring.

Question 4

Why is there a decline in engagement in school with age?

Answer 4

1. Changes in environment
   - Greater emphasis on evaluation
   - Losing control over their own autonomy and schooling life
2. Changes in children
   - Concern with evaluation
   - Desire for autonomy
   - Competing interests (e.g. hobbies)

*Poor environement-stage fit leads to loss in engagement

Question 5

What was Carol Dweck’s finding on engagement?

Answer 5

Children have different theories about how changeable their abilities are.

1. Ability can be increased with effort
2. Ability is fixed.

Question 6

How did children respond to challenges? (Dweck)

Answer 6

1. 70% master response (engaged, effort attributions, positive affect). i.e. happy that they put in effort and enjoy challenge.
2. 30% helpless response (disengaged, negative affect, ability attributions).

Question 7

How should children be praised?

Answer 7

Children who are praised for the effort perform better on difficult tasks. Higher levels of engagement, mastery goals, incremental theories.

Question 8

What are the role of parents

Answer 8

Autonomy Supportive parenting/Authoritative parenting
- Allow autonomy and initiative
- encourage to solve problems independently
- Help children develop mastery mindset
- Encourages more learning

Controlling parenting
- Regulate behavior
- pressure to meet external standards.

Question 9

How does self-control affect engagement

Answer 9

• Delay gratification
• Predicts achievement 10 years later
• Self control is also affected and predicted by Authoritative parenting. fosters sense of agency, regulation of distress and provides practice in meeting demands.

Question 10

What are the strengths and limitations of longitudinal studies?

Answer 10

Strengths
- Control for individual differences

Limitations
- Attrition

Question 11

Why were there multiple scales used for self-discipline?

Answer 11

• Multimethod approach to improve validity because single scales for self-discipline show moderate prediction.
• IQ-OSLAT on the other hand, is highly reliable and a strong predictor on its own.

Question 12

Are there any gender, SES, cultural differences in self-discipline?

Answer 12

• No significant difference between SES groups
• Self-discipline found more in girls than boys.

Question 13

Other variables that affect achievement

Answer 13

• study habits and skills
• Class attendance
• Adjustment

Question 14

Nature vs Nurture of Self-Discipline

Answer 14

• 60% genetic influence
• 40% depends on us; situational strategies for self-control.
• Dweck’s model of Entity vs Incremental theory view of intelligence. (But cannot be reliably replicated in other situations)