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Individual differences in statistical learning predict children's reading ability in a semi-transparent orthography
This study of sixty-five Norwegian school children (M = 10.3 years) found that performance on an independent statistical learning task predicted a small, but unique amount of variance in reading ability in Norwegian, even when a number of other reading-related cognitive skills were taken into account. This suggests that children's implicit learning of statistical regularities is associated with proficiency with written language in a semi-transparent orthography such as Norwegian. (Source: Learning and Individual Differences)
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - December 7, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

The relationship of personality traits and different measures of domain-specific achievement in upper secondary education
This study examined the relationship of personality traits with academic achievement, while controlling for cognitive ability. We considered two domains (Mathematics and English as a foreign language) and three achievement measures, capitalizing on a sample of N = 3637 students in upper secondary education (year 13, age M = 19.92 years) in Germany. First, we aimed to replicate previous results on grades and test scores. Second, we aimed to extend the body of research by adding final examinations—a school-based performance test—as a third measure. Our findings indicate an incremental predictive validity of per...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - December 5, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Beyond academic achievement goals: The importance of social achievement goals in explaining gender differences in self-handicapping
In this study, 536 secondary school students in England (ages 13–14) reported their social achievement goals, academic achievement goals, and self-handicapping behaviours. Boys were more likely to adopt social demonstration goals, performance-approach and -avoidance goals, and reported greater behavioural self-handicapping. Moreover, structural equation models showed that social demonstration goals uniquely mediated the relationship between gender and self-handicapping, beyond the effect of performance-avoidance goals. Results highlight the importance of social achievement goals in explaining gender differences in self-h...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - December 1, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

The relation between mathematics vocabulary and mathematics performance among fourth graders
Publication date: January 2019Source: Learning and Individual Differences, Volume 69Author(s): Peng Peng, Xin LinAbstractThe role of mathematics vocabulary in mathematics has received increasing attention in recent years. Most prior relevant research focused on students in preschool and early elementary grades in the United States and often considered mathematics vocabulary as a single construct in relation to one mathematics outcome. In the current study, we explored how different types of mathematics vocabulary emphasized in curriculum are related to different mathematics outcomes among students in 4th grade in China. Da...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Profiles of literacy skills among Chinese preschoolers: Antecedents and consequences of profile membership
This study aimed to identify distinct early literacy profiles among Chinese preschoolers based on receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, and Chinese character recognition using latent profile analyses. We further explored family-related predictors of children's profile classifications and the relations between children's profile classifications and their mathematical and science skills. This study involved 656 Chinese preschoolers (Mean age = 5.04 years; 49.1% girls). Four profiles emerged: (1) Lowest Overall (24.1%), (2) Low Average (43.9%), (3) High Vocabulary, Average Chinese Character Recognition (23.5%), a...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Associations of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at school entry with early academic progress in children born prematurely and full-term controls
This study examined associations of a caregiver-based diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in kindergarten with early learning progress in 139 extremely preterm/extremely low birth weight (EPT/ELBW, gestational age <28 weeks and/or <1000 g birth weight) children and 111 term-born normal birth weight (NBW) controls. ADHD and related symptom counts as assessed by psychiatric interviews of caregivers were examined as predictors of achievement scores across the first three school years. ADHD and higher symptom counts predicted slower progress across school years or lower scores in all years ...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 21, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

The role of study engagement in university students' daily experiences: A multilevel test of moderation
Publication date: Available online 16 November 2018Source: Learning and Individual DifferencesAuthor(s): Elina E. Ketonen, Lars-Erik Malmberg, Katariina Salmela-Aro, Hanni Muukkonen, Heta Tuominen, Kirsti LonkaAbstractThe present study investigated the dynamic nature of students' daily experiences and general study engagement using intra-individual assessment. More specifically, we examined individual differences in the relationship between university students' task-specific value and situational emotions and, further, whether first-year study engagement would moderate this association during the first two years of studies...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 17, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Being over- or underchallenged in class: Effects on students' career aspirations via academic self-concept and boredom
Publication date: Available online 16 November 2018Source: Learning and Individual DifferencesAuthor(s): Maike Krannich, Thomas Goetz, Anastasiya A. Lipnevich, Madeleine Bieg, Anna-Lena Roos, Eva S. Becker, Vinzenz MorgerAbstractThe current study investigated links between students' level of perceived challenge (being over- or underchallenged) and students' career aspirations. We hypothesized indirect effects of over- and underchallenge on career aspirations via academic self-concept and academic trait boredom and tested our hypotheses in a sample of N = 662 Swiss eleventh grade students in the domains of German, Frenc...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 17, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Miscalibration of self-efficacy and academic performance: Self-efficacy ≠ self-fulfilling prophecy
In this study, we applied procedures used in the meta-cognitive calibration paradigm to investigate the alignment between academic self-efficacy and academic performance (i.e., self-efficacy calibration) in higher education. Undergraduate students (n = 207) completed five self-efficacy questionnaires with regard to academic performance outcomes in one subject over a semester (two written assignments, two exams, and the subject overall). Five corresponding grades were also collected. We calculated two types of self-efficacy calibration scores: self-efficacy accuracy (the deviation between self-efficacy and performance) ...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 16, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Editorial Board
Publication date: December 2018Source: Learning and Individual Differences, Volume 68Author(s): (Source: Learning and Individual Differences)
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 7, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Childhood preference for spatial toys. Gender differences and relationships with mental rotation in STEM and non-STEM students
This study considered an unexplored experiential factor: childhood preference for spatial toys and sports. It was predicted that the higher the preference for spatial activities in childhood, the higher the mental rotation performance and intrinsic motivation, and likewise the greater the probability of choosing a STEM degree. One hundred seventy-six Italian and German students attending the first year of either a STEM (n = 90) or a no STEM (n = 86) degree filled in the Mental Rotation Test, a self-report to assess intrinsic motivation, and two questionnaires to assess their actual practice with spatial sports and ...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 3, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

The effect of perceptions of the teaching-learning environment on the variation in approaches to learning – Between-student differences and within-student variation
Publication date: December 2018Source: Learning and Individual Differences, Volume 68Author(s): Liisa Postareff, Markus Mattsson, Anna ParpalaAbstractThe study explored the extent to which university students' approaches to learning (SAL) are related to their perceptions of the teaching-learning environment (TLE), both at the group level (between-student variation) and at the individual level (within-student variation). Moreover, the study explored how a general tendency to perceive the TLE in a certain way predicts course-specific approaches to learning over and above the course-specific perceptions. The participants were...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - November 1, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Part-time special education predicts students' reading self-concept development
Publication date: December 2018Source: Learning and Individual Differences, Volume 68Author(s): Pirjo A. Savolainen, Anneke C. Timmermans, Hannu K. SavolainenAbstractThe academic self-concept changes from childhood to early adulthood in relation to experiences of capability in different school tasks and comparison with peers. Students in special education have a lower academic self-concept than their peers do, but it is unclear how part-time special education affects self-concept development. In Finnish schools, part-time special education is learning support that is usually provided for 1–2 h/week in small groups. The...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - October 30, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Motivational foundations of self-control and mindfulness and their role in study–leisure conflicts
Publication date: December 2018Source: Learning and Individual Differences, Volume 68Author(s): Axel Grund, Kerstin SenkerAbstractIn the present paper, we compared two self-regulatory capacities, trait self-control and mindfulness, with respect to their potential to help students deal with motivational conflicts between studying and leisure time, by either promoting a selective, normatively oriented versus open-minded, non-judgmental stance toward conflicting motivations. We also investigated the role of value orientations and need satisfaction is this regard. Study 1 (N = 196) initially showed that trait self-control,...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - October 29, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research

Domain-specific effects of attentional and behavioral control in early literacy and numeracy development
Publication date: December 2018Source: Learning and Individual Differences, Volume 68Author(s): Dieuwer ten Braak, Tijs Kleemans, Ingunn Størksen, Ludo Verhoeven, Eliane SegersAbstractIn a longitudinal study, we investigated the direct and indirect contributions of two aspects of executive functioning - attentional and behavioral control - to the development of early literacy and numeracy in kindergarten and first grade. Ninety children (mean age = 6.0 years at Time 1) were assessed on multiple direct measures of executive functioning, as well as phonological awareness and number sense in kindergarten, and word read...
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - October 21, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research