Conscientiousness Is the Most Powerful Noncognitive Predictor of School Achievement in Adolescents

Barbara Dumfart · Aljoscha C. Neubauer

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Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation Education, Achievement, and Giftedness Personality Traits and Psychology

Abstract

Abstract. Much research has demonstrated that intelligence and conscientiousness have a high impact on individual school achievement. To figure out if other noncognitive traits have incremental validity over intelligence and conscientiousness, we conducted a study on 498 eighth-grade students from general secondary schools in Austria. Hierarchical regressions for three criteria (GPA, science, and languages) were performed, including intelligence, the Big Five, self-discipline, grit, self-efficacy, intrinsic-extrinsic motivation, and test anxiety. Intelligence and conscientiousness alone accounted for approximately 40% in the variance of school achievement. For languages and GPA, no other personality and motivational predictors could explain additional variance; in science subjects, only self-discipline added incremental variance. We conclude that – in addition to intelligence as powerful cognitive predictor – conscientiousness is the crucial noncognitive predictor for school achievement and should be focused on when supporting students in improving their performance.

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References

1985Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior 1988Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior 2007Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals.2004High Self‐Control Predicts Good Adjustment, Less Pathology, Better Grades, and Interpersonal Success 1991Self-Efficacy and Academic Motivation 2009Development and Validation of the Short Grit Scale (Grit–S)1989Perceived locus of causality and internalization: Examining reasons for acting in two domains.1989Perceived locus of causality and internalization: Examining reasons for acting in two domains.

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2017Measuring Grit 2021Grit and language learning: construct validation of L2-Grit scale and its relation to later vocabulary knowledge 2018Does students’ grit predict their school achievement above and beyond their personality, motivation, and engagement?2018Same Same, but Different? Relations between Facets of Conscientiousness and Grit 2021Beyond Passion and Perseverance: Review and Future Research Initiatives on the Science of Grit

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