How children reason about ability from report card grades: a developmental study

Elementary school students were interviewed to see how they reason about ability in the context of report card grades. Eighty-four 2nd, 4th, and 6th graders were presented with hypothetical children's report card grades for performance and effort and were asked to compare the children's "smartness." Four age-related levels of reasoning about ability were identified, in accordance with findings from past research. However, 6th graders did not use the expected highest levels of reasoning, which involve covariation of performance and effort information; rather, their reasoning emphasized the efficacy of effort. Reasons for differences between the present and previous findings are discussed.