The nature and nurture of intelligence and motivation in the origins of sex differences in elementary school achievement

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank M. Spinath ◽  
Birgit Spinath ◽  
Robert Plomin
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Achievement Scores ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Intrinsic Values ◽  
Nature And Nurture

This study investigates the roles of intelligence and school‐related motivation in sex differences in school achievement and whether there are sex differences in the genetic and environmental influences on these variables. In a sample of 4464 9‐year‐old twins, intelligence, ablility self‐perceptions, intrinsic values and achievement scores were assessed. Girls outperformed boys in English and had better corresponding ability self‐perceptions, whereas in Math boys showed better attainment and ability self‐perceptions. For both sexes and all three domains, intelligence was the strongest predictor of achievement and ability self‐perceptions added incrementally to the prediction. Evidence of genetic influences was found for all measures but shared environmental influences were not important. These findings challenge some widely held assumptions about the development of children's motivation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nature, nurture, and psychopathology: A new look at an old topic

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-136
Author(s):  
Michael Rutter
Keyword(s):  
No Value ◽  
Rare Diseases ◽  
Developmental Psychopathology ◽  
Behavioral Genetics ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Normal Variation ◽  
Major Genes ◽  
Nature And Nurture ◽  
Genetic Strategies

AbstractThe important implications for developmental psychopathology that derive from advances in psychiatric and behavioral genetics are discussed in relation to a series of mistaken stereotypes: that strong effects mean that environmental influences must be unimportant; that genes provide a limit to potential; that genetic strategies are of no value for studying environmental influences; that nature and nurture are separate; that genes for serious diseases are necessarily bad; that diseases have nothing to do with normal variation; that genetic findings will not help identify diseases; that genetic influences diminish with age; that disorders that run in families must be genetic; that disorders that seem not to run in families cannot be genetic; and that single major genes lead only to specific rare diseases that follow a Mendelian pattern. The reasons why these stereotypes are mistaken are considered in relation to genetic concepts and findings.

Nature, nurture, and psychopathology: A new look at an old topic

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Rutter
Keyword(s):  
No Value ◽  
Rare Diseases ◽  
Developmental Psychopathology ◽  
Behavioral Genetics ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Normal Variation ◽  
Major Genes ◽  
Nature And Nurture ◽  
Genetic Strategies

AbstractThe important implications for developmental psychopathology that derive from advances in psychiatric and behavioral genetics are discussed in relation to a series of mistaken stereotypes: that strong effects mean that environmental influences must be unimportant; that genes provide a limit to potential; that genetic strategies are of no value for studying environmental influences; that nature and nurture are separate; that genes for serious diseases are necessarily bad; that diseases have nothing to do with normal variation; that genetic findings will not help identify diseases; that genetic influences diminish with age; that disorders that run in families must be genetic; that disorders that seem not to run in families cannot be genetic; and that single major genes lead only to specific rare diseases that follow a Mendelian pattern. The reasons why these stereotypes are mistaken are considered in relation to genetic concepts and findings.

Sex differences in school achievement: what are the roles of personality and achievement motivation?

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricarda Steinmayr ◽  
Birgit Spinath
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Achievement Motivation ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Motivational Constructs ◽  
School Attainment ◽  
Work Avoidance ◽  
Math Grades ◽  
Gender Specific

It is consistently reported that despite equal cognitive ability, girls outperform boys in school. In several methodological steps, the present study examined sex differences in school achievement and some of the most important personality and motivational constructs in a sample of 204 females and 138 adolescent males (mean age M = 16.94 years; SD = 0.71). Grades in Math and German as well as grade point average (GPA) served as achievement criteria. Intelligence, the Big Five of personality and motivational variables (achievement motives, goal orientation, task values and ability self‐concepts) served as predictors. After controlling for intelligence, girls' grades were significantly better than boys'. Mean sex differences were found for most variables. There were no gender‐specific associations between predictors and grades. Agreeableness, work avoidance, ability self‐concepts and values ascribed to German mediated the association between sex and grades in German. Controlling for ability self‐concepts and values ascribed to Math enhanced the association between sex and math grades. We concluded that personality and motivation play important roles in explaining sex differences in school attainment. Results are discussed against the background of practical and methodological implications. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temperamental influences on psychosocial adjustment: From infancy to adolescence

1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Sanson ◽  
Margot Prior ◽  
Frank Oberklaid ◽  
Diana Smart
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Family Functioning ◽  
Psychosocial Adjustment ◽  
High Stability ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Behaviour Problems ◽  
Behaviour Problem ◽  
Clinical Diagnoses ◽  
Family Variables

AbstractResults are presented from a recent study within the Australian Temperament Project (ATP), in which a group of children with significant behaviour problems, and a comparison group, were selected from the sample at 11–12 years and home-visited, with assessments of clinical diagnoses, intelligence, school achievement and social competence, and a variety of family functioning indices. Approximately half the behaviour problem group received at least one diagnosis. Twice as many boys as girls were diagnosed. Rates of comorbidity were high but, generally, within—rather than between—the broadband internalising or externalising spectra. Concurrent family functioning measures discriminated between groups, but not as strongly as intrinsic child measures, and the particular family variables that best discriminated between groups showed sex differences. High stability of behaviour problems from earlier years was evident, and the behaviour problem group differed from the comparison group on measures of temperament, behaviour, and context from early childhood; both findings reinforce the need for early intervention.The implications of these and other findings from the ATP, particularly the need for early intervention, are discussed.

Community Gun Violence as a Social Determinant of Elementary School Achievement

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 439-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dessa Bergen-Cico ◽  
Sandra D. Lane ◽  
Robert H. Keefe ◽  
David A. Larsen ◽  
Anthony Panasci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Social Determinant ◽  
Gun Violence

scholarly journals WHY DO PEOPLE DIFFER IN THEIR ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION? A NUCLEAR TWIN FAMILY STUDY

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lea Klassen ◽  
Eike F. Eifler ◽  
Anke Hufer ◽  
Rainer Riemann
Keyword(s):  
Achievement Motivation ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Parental Home ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Home And School

Although many previous studies have emphasized the role of environmental factors, such as parental home and school environment, on achievement motivation, classical twin studies suggest that both additive genetic influences and non-shared environmental influences explain interindividual differences in achievement motivation. By applying a Nuclear Twin Family Design on the data of the German nationally representative of TwinLife study, we analyzed genetic and environmental influences on achievement motivation in adolescents and young adults. As expected, the results provided evidence for the impact of additive genetic variation, non-additive genetic influences, as well as twin specific shared environmental influences. The largest amount of variance was attributed to non-shared environmental influences, showing the importance of individual experiences in forming differences in achievement motivation. Overall, we suggest a revision of models and theories that explain variation in achievement motivation by differences in familial socialization only.

scholarly journals Genetic and shared environmental influences on children's 24-h food and beverage intake: sex differences at age 7 y

2008 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 903-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myles S Faith ◽  
Sally Ann Rhea ◽  
Robin P Corley ◽  
John K Hewitt
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Food And Beverage
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