Intelligence levels

This study explored the impact of peer reputations for academic ability and school-related affect upon fourth- through eighth-graders' academic outcomes. In light of the prevailing stereotypes regarding the differential academic abilities of girls and boys (favoring girls in English, and boys in math and science), it was hypothesized that peer reputations in English would be more predictive of outcomes for girls than for boys, while math and science reputations would be most predictive of boys' outcomes. Peer reputations were found to be predictive of school grades, but not of standardized test scores. Although ability reputations in most areas were predictive of grades for both sexes, modest gender differences were observed which were consistent with hypotheses. Results suggest that children's peer reputations may play an important role in their academic achievement, especially within domains most central to their gender identities. Implications and suggestions for future directions are discussed.

This study examined domain-specific gender differences in children's domain specific theories of intelligence. It was based on Dweck's theory that individuals view intelligence as either fixed (entity theory) or flexible (incremental theory). The hypothesis that the mathematics and verbal domains would differ most for older, brighter girls who are highly sex-typed was confirmed in that more highly sex-typed older girls endorsed more entity-like thinking in the math area. Higher achievement level was related to more incremental thinking, with gender and domain effects found only among low and not high achievers. Theory interacted with age level in influencing English grades. Also, in terms of examining the effect of perceived competency on academic performance, academic and domain competency but not global self-esteem related to school grades. It was found that girls associated feelings of global self-worth to achievement test scores.

This study examined gender differences in children's domain-specific theories of intelligence. It was based on Dweck's theory that individuals view intelligence as either fixed (entity theory) or flexible (incremental theory). The hypothesis that the mathematics and verbal domains would differ most for older, brighter girls who are highly sex-typed was partially confirmed in that brighter girls endorsed incremental theory more strongly for the verbal than the math area. Incremental theory was generally endorsed more by girls than boys, by more sex-typed than less sex-typed children, and by brighter than more average children. Interactions indicated the sex difference was strongest among less sex-typed bright children, and sex-typing differences greatest among bright boys. Theory of intelligence had little predictive value for academic performance. It was suggested that future research explore whether greater domain variation may occur in children with average intelligence than was evident here for a sample of generally above-average intelligence.

This study explored the extent and nature of academic peer reputation upon children's academic self-concept. Peer and self-perceptions of academic ability and affect were assessed for the subject domains of English, math, and science in order to investigate the generality of peer reputation influences across academic subject areas, and determine the extent to which gender differences might be evident. Gender differences were hypothesized, and peer reputation was expected to have the most influence on academic self-concept in school domains viewed as gender-normative and thus central to self-concept. MR analyses provided some support for this gender-congruency hypothesis, as it was primarily children's academic ability reputation in gender-congruent areas that was predictive of ability self-concept, and, influential with respect to perceived ability in normative domains. Contrary to expectations, peer affective reputation was more predictive with respect to gender-incongruent domains. Results were interpreted to suggest the dominance of gender-schema consistency concerns in relation to ability perceptions, but contrast effects in relation to school affect.