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Published on: September 11, 2021
Malawian secondary students' beliefs about intelligence
Brett D Jones1, Lee Rakes, Krista Landon
1Department of Learning Sciences and Technologies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. brettjones@vt.edu
Summary
Malawian students view intelligence as malleable, similar to students in developed countries. Their beliefs about intelligence, emphasizing effort and behavior, align with global findings, even showing stronger malleable views than some Western peers.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
- Cognitive Development
Background:
- Student academic motivation and performance are linked to beliefs about intelligence malleability.
- Cultural and educational contexts significantly influence students' intelligence beliefs.
- Limited research exists on intelligence beliefs in Malawian students compared to Western populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore Malawian students' definitions of intelligence.
- To assess the extent to which Malawian students perceive intelligence as malleable.
- To compare Malawian students' intelligence beliefs with those in more developed countries.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods study was conducted with 136 secondary school students in Malawi.
- A 39-item questionnaire, including open- and closed-ended questions, was used to gather data on intelligence beliefs.
- Data analysis involved qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand student perspectives.
Main Results:
- Malawian students define intelligence through behaviors like studying, hard work, academic performance, and good conduct.
- A majority of Malawian students believe intelligence is malleable, achievable through effort.
- Malawian students' definitions and malleable beliefs are comparable to, and potentially stronger than, those in the US and Germany.
- Some standardized measures showed lower reliability and validity with Malawian students compared to other populations.
Conclusions:
- Malawian secondary students' beliefs about intelligence align with those in developed nations, particularly regarding malleability.
- Effort-based theories of intelligence are prevalent among Malawian students.
- Cultural context plays a role, but core beliefs about intelligence can be universal among students who remain in formal schooling.
- Further research is needed to adapt and validate assessment tools for diverse cultural contexts.
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