Reading Summary - Self-beliefs among students: Grade level and gender differences in self-esteem, self-efficacy and implicit theories of intelligence. Learning and Individual Differences, 35, 1-8.

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Diseth, Å., Meland, E., & Breidablik, H. J. (2014). Self-beliefs among students: Grade level and gender
differences in self-esteem, self-efficacy and implicit theories of intelligence. Learning and Individual
Differences, 35, 1-8.

Aim was to investigate to see if there was a relationship between self esteem, self efficacy and implicit theories of intelligence. Norwegian students. In Norway students do not get grades in primary school! Surveyed 2,082 students but only 68% did the survey.

Data suggested that younger students do not form clear differentiation between incremental and entity theories of intelligence.
The theories become more defined as students age (high school) (pg6)

This study offered little support for assumption that an entity theory of intelligence is related to low vulnerable self esteem, as suggested by
Molden and Dweck (2000) Supported previous findings that self efficacy is a better predictor of performance than self esteem.
Found a positive relationship between implicit theory of intelligence and academic achievement Girls levels of self esteem were lower than
boys in 8th grade. Supports previous research findings which have also shown a decline in self esteem amoung girls (Robins & Trzesniewski, 2005)

Paradox girls have weaker self esteem and self efficacy than boys but they achieve better. hypothesized that boys  self beliefs are less
attached to their academic performance (pg6) also there is research that supports idea that boys elevate their self esteem as a compensatory
effect for lower achievement.(pg 6) research Tendency for people to have a bias towards identifying items representing incremental theory
this is a attributed to social desirability and

persuasiveness of these items (Molden and Dweck, 2006)

Future research needs to look into age and gender differences as the negative relation between entity and incremental theories of
intelligence seems to be less strong among younger students. Further investigation needs to be done regarding implicit theories of
intelligence and the relationship to self esteem and self efficacy.

Findings an incremental theory of intelligence is related to self efficacy, self esteem and academic achievement.
However an entity theory of intelligence did not appear to affect self esteem, self efficacy negatively. However it did affect academic
achievement. (pg 7)

Moulden and Dweck (2006) suggested that students with an entity view of intelligence may have low self esteem.

Research has failed to support this (Hong, chiu, Dweck, Lin, & Wan 1999) This research also failed to support this

Transition to secondary school is a time when students experience a decline in self beliefs (Arens, Yeung, Craven, Waterman,
& Hasselhorn, 2013)  esp self esteem among girls (Robins & Trzesniewski, 2005).future research

Self efficacy is described by (Bandura 1997) as students conception of their capacity to execute courses of action to achieve a desired
outcome.

Assumptions

Researches have assumed a negative relationship between having an entity view of intelligence and self-esteem as their self worth is contingent on external validation. (Burhans & Dweck, 1995: Dweck, 1999: Molden & Dweck, 2000.

Findings

Girls more self-efficacious but other studies have found the opposite (e.g. Anderman & Young,1994)

Entity theories of intelligence may be neutral with influencing the components of self belief -
self efficacy, self esteem.

Academic achievement was positively correlated.

Conflict

Research has found decline in self efficacy beliefs from 6th to 8th grade (Gungoren and Sungur 2009)
Guvercin (2008) also noted a decline.

Implicit self theories have been uncorrelated with self esteem in previous research (Hong et al 1999)

Robins and Pals (2002) found entity theorists declined in self esteem during college. Incremental
theorists increased in self esteem.

No change in students implicit theories of intelligence

Russian study showed academic self concept predicted academic achievement and found no
relationship between self concept and implicit theories of intelligence.
(Kornilova,Kornilov, & Chumakova, 2009)

Was not a longitudinal study, achievement grades were self reported, actual grades may have been
more valid. Pg7 quote research that supports this however its in conflict with Dweck’s findings that
low grades plus an entity theory of intelligence = tendency when self reporting to  enhance your grade
i.e.not tell truth.

Strong relationship between self efficacy and achievement. Students beliefs about their academic capabilities become an inner resource of their academic
engagement and performance (Levpuscek & Zupancic, 2009) (Valentine et al 2004

A meta-analysis by Burnette, et al (2013) concluded implicit theories of intelligence are modestly
related to achievement in some studies but this effect is indirect