Michael M. Barger

Identification as Gifted and Implicit Beliefs About Intelligence An Examination of Potential Moderators

The current study investigated whether the developmental timing of a student’s identification as gifted (i.e., when a student is first identified) was associated with later implicit beliefs about intelligence, and whether this relation is moderated by academic ability. A sample of 1,743 high-ability college students reported on whether and when they had been identified as gifted, academic ability (SAT scores), and implicit beliefs of intelligence. Timing of identification was unrelated to implicit beliefs; academic ability was the only significant predictor. Higher ability students who had been previously identified as gifted at any point in time reported implicit beliefs more toward entity beliefs than relatively lower ability students who had also been identified; however, this effect was quite small. Implicit beliefs did not vary by ability level for nonidentified students. These findings suggest that identification as gifted at any age modestly (but not necessarily meaningfully) relates to implicit beliefs for high-ability students.

Developmental Systems of Students& Personal Theories About Education

Children hold many personal theories about education: theories about themselves, knowledge, and the learning process. Personal theories help children predict what their actions will cause, and therefore relate to motivation, self-regulation, and achievement. Researchers typically examine how specific types of personal theories develop independently, but the similarities among personal theories suggest more systematic developmental processes. Accordingly, this article outlines a developmental systems model to organize existing personal theories research. We first identify and define personal theories related to education and then consider the nature of their development as a coherent, hierarchical structure that is shaped through educational experiences. This model provides parsimony while advancing a number of fields by providing clarity of concepts, insight across fields, and a better understanding of development and educational outcomes. We conclude by proposing new directions to understand how holistic sets of personal theories change over time and considering implications for educational interventions.

Merged identity of student-athletes and achievement goals across school and sport

ABSTRACT Student-athletes balance two demanding roles as students and athletes. The current study tested whether student-athletes that saw these roles as merged (i.e. merged identity) were more likely to have similar motivation for school and sport. Collegiate student-athletes (N = 76) completed online surveys assessing merged identity (using a novel measure with pictorial and open-ended response elements) and achievement goals. Cluster analyses identified students with similar motivational profiles in academics and athletics. Students higher on the merged identity measure were more likely to report matching motivational profiles. Results shed light on the role identity plays in student-athletes’ motivation across domains.