“Role of Mental Abilities and Mental Tests in Explaining High-School Grades”, 2016 ():
We found that Conscientiousness predicted HS grades (r = 0.32) almost as well as g (r = 0.37–0.40).
- g accounted for most of the validity of mental abilities and HS grades. Mathematics knowledge added incremental validity.
High School GPA is reliable
Conscientiousness and g do not interact when predicting high school grades.
Hispanic/blacks’ grades were overpredicted and females’ were underpredicted. Group preferences slightly lowered validity.
It is well-known that some students earn higher grades than others; however, published research on the mental abilities that are correlated with high school grades is sparse.
Two studies examined the relationship between different mental abilities and high school grades. Study 1 showed that the personality trait Conscientiousness predicted high school grades (r = 0.32) almost as well as g (r = 0.37–0.40). In Study 2, the relationship between general mental ability (g) and high school grades was linear and fairness analyses indicated slight overprediction for Hispanics and Blacks and underprediction for females.
Validity was lowered slightly by group preferences. Except for mathematical knowledge, the correlation between mental abilities and high school grades in both studies was largely attributable to g rather than specific abilities (s) measured by each test. Additional analyses showed that grade point averages are reliable and Conscientiousness and g do not interact when predicting high school grades.
[Keywords: mental abilities, academic performance, grade point average, Conscientiousness, specific aptitude theory]
See Also:
Big Five personality traits and academic performance: A meta-analysis
Personality, Learning Style And Cognitive Style Profiles Of Mathematically Talented Students
Developing talents: A longitudinal examination of intellectual ability and academic achievement
Does Self-control Outdo IQ in Predicting Academic Performance?