Implicit theories of intelligence in eighth-grade pupils: sex-differences and the differences regarding size of place of residence

Kopić, Kristina . (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence in eighth-grade pupils: sex-differences and the differences regarding size of place of residence. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology. [mentor Zarevski, Predrag].

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Abstract

The questionnaire ITI-VIII (Kopić, Vranić i Zarevski, 2007) that examines implicit theories of intelligence was applied to a sample of 330 eighth-grade pupils in elementary school, categorized into three groups according to the size of the place of residence (village, smaller town, larger town). Results show that pupils have formed implicit theories of intelligence. When describing intelligent person they list characteristics that can be categorized as cognitive abilities (28.00%), practical intelligence (27.04%), interpersonal characteristics (18.37%), motivation (10.08%), «academic» intelligence and verbal abilities (8.29%) and other personality traits and physical characteristics (8.23%). The majority of participants believe that: inheritance and environment have equal contributions in determining intelligence (63.83%); significant augmentation of intelligence is possible (56.53%); education can have significant beneficial effects on intelligence (50.91%); success in school considerably depends on intelligence (48.63%), as well as job success (61.21%); intelligence has the highest importance for accomplishment in mathematics (44.92%) and physics (24.92%); there are sex differences in intelligence neither in their age (47.88%), nor in adulthood (45.15%); that people reach the peak of intelligence between 21 and 39 years, i.e. in period of early adulthood (42.99%). Differences in implicit theories of intelligence regarding the sex and the size of place of residence are also discussed.

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