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The power of cognitive ability in explaining educational test performance, relative to other ostensible contenders

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  • O'Connell, Michael

Abstract

The paper examines the relationship between cognitive ability at thirteen years of age and children's academic performance assessments at aged nine. Alongside cognitive ability, other variables considered predictive of academic success were assessed including personality measures, birthweight, handedness, socio-economic background, parental education, home language, and child-rearing practices such as breast-feeding and access to video-games. The final sample comprised 7525 children who participated in both wave 1 and wave 2 of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) longitudinal study. Participants in the study were selected through the state school system using a 2-stage sampling method producing a large sample representative of the national population of nine-year-old children. Linear multiple regression identified five variables which significantly explained both reading and mathematics test scores: two cognitive ability measures, birthweight, wealthier households, and high attendance at parent-teacher meetings. Gender, parental education, and home language also made a contribution to reading test scores, while a general factor of personality was significant for mathematics. Overall the cognitive ability measures accounted for almost all of the explained variance, and other factors, while sometimes statistically significant, were of relatively minor importance.

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  • O'Connell, Michael, 2018. "The power of cognitive ability in explaining educational test performance, relative to other ostensible contenders," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 122-127.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intell:v:66:y:2018:i:c:p:122-127
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.11.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jo Blanden, 2004. "Family Income and Educational Attainment: A Review of Approaches and Evidence for Britain," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 20(2), pages 245-263, Summer.
    2. Hubert Strauss & Christine de la Maisonneuve, 2009. "The wage premium on tertiary education: New estimates for 21 OECD countries," OECD Journal: Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2009(1), pages 1-29.
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    Cited by:

    1. Guez, Ava & Panaïotis, Thelma & Peyre, Hugo & Ramus, Franck, 2018. "Predictors of the IQ-achievement gap in France: A longitudinal analysis," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 104-116.
    2. Lechner, Clemens M. & Miyamoto, Ai & Knopf, Thomas, 2019. "Should students be smart, curious, or both? Fluid intelligence, openness, and interest co-shape the acquisition of reading and math competence," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1-1.

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