Page 35 - Kukanja Gabrijelčič, Mojca, and Maruška Seničar Željeznov, eds. 2018. Teaching Gifted and Talented Children in A New Educational Era. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 35
Exploring Dutch Students’ Implicit
Theories of an Intelligent Person
Trudie G. C. Malotaux-Christophersen
Radboud University, The Netherlands
trudiemalotaux@gmail.com
Sven A. C. Mathijssen
Radboud University and Tilburg University, The Netherlands
s.mathijssen@ru.nl
Lianne Hoogeveen
Radboud University, The Netherlands
l.hoogeveen@ru.nl
Implicit theories of intelligence play a crucial role in our learning, influencing
our observations, decisions and actions. Dutch (highly) able seventh grade stu-
dents were asked to draw an intelligent person and to rate the presence of
some characteristics. Cultural background, living area, programs followed at
primary education, and gender were taken into account. Overall, an intelligent
person was depicted as hardworking, persistent, and talented in Mathematics
and Science. To monitor development in gifted education, a follow up study is
recommended.
Keywords: implicit theories, intelligence, culture, gender, education, pictures
Introduction
Dutch boys statistically achieve more in science than Dutch girls, while in Fin-
land, Slovenia and Turkey it is the other way around (OECD, 2011). Consider-
ing the countries that participated in PISA 2009, girls outperformed boys in
22 countries, whereas in 11 countries boys outperformed girls. In the other 33
countries, there was no significant difference between the genders (OECD,
2011). As there is no biological explanation for these differences, implicit the-
ories might be one of the factors that play a role here (Chiao, 2009; Han &
Northoff, 2008; Krabbendam, 2012; Nosek et al., 2009).
Sternberg, Conway, Ketron, and Bernstein (1981) defined implicit theories
as personal constructions about a specific phenomenon, residing in the mind
of an individual. According to Sternberg (2004), nothing has as much im-
pact on actual life and practices as implicit theories. Though implicit the-
ories are not bound to one domain, this study is concentrated on implicit
theories of intelligence. Often, we are not aware of our own implicit theo-
ries. Neither do we realize they differ from others. They are rooted in cul-
33
Theories of an Intelligent Person
Trudie G. C. Malotaux-Christophersen
Radboud University, The Netherlands
trudiemalotaux@gmail.com
Sven A. C. Mathijssen
Radboud University and Tilburg University, The Netherlands
s.mathijssen@ru.nl
Lianne Hoogeveen
Radboud University, The Netherlands
l.hoogeveen@ru.nl
Implicit theories of intelligence play a crucial role in our learning, influencing
our observations, decisions and actions. Dutch (highly) able seventh grade stu-
dents were asked to draw an intelligent person and to rate the presence of
some characteristics. Cultural background, living area, programs followed at
primary education, and gender were taken into account. Overall, an intelligent
person was depicted as hardworking, persistent, and talented in Mathematics
and Science. To monitor development in gifted education, a follow up study is
recommended.
Keywords: implicit theories, intelligence, culture, gender, education, pictures
Introduction
Dutch boys statistically achieve more in science than Dutch girls, while in Fin-
land, Slovenia and Turkey it is the other way around (OECD, 2011). Consider-
ing the countries that participated in PISA 2009, girls outperformed boys in
22 countries, whereas in 11 countries boys outperformed girls. In the other 33
countries, there was no significant difference between the genders (OECD,
2011). As there is no biological explanation for these differences, implicit the-
ories might be one of the factors that play a role here (Chiao, 2009; Han &
Northoff, 2008; Krabbendam, 2012; Nosek et al., 2009).
Sternberg, Conway, Ketron, and Bernstein (1981) defined implicit theories
as personal constructions about a specific phenomenon, residing in the mind
of an individual. According to Sternberg (2004), nothing has as much im-
pact on actual life and practices as implicit theories. Though implicit the-
ories are not bound to one domain, this study is concentrated on implicit
theories of intelligence. Often, we are not aware of our own implicit theo-
ries. Neither do we realize they differ from others. They are rooted in cul-
33
