General and domain-specific beliefs about intelligence, ability, and effort among preservice and practicing teachers

Abstract

This study examined preservice and practicing teachers’ beliefs about factors influencing student academic performance. Participants viewed teacher factors as a more important determinant of academic performance than student or family factors. However, teachers who held a stronger entity view of students’ intelligence viewed teachers as less responsible for students’ academic performance. Teachers held the most ability-based views of performance in the arts and the most effort-based views of performance in the humanities. General beliefs about intelligence were related to domain-specific beliefs in the areas of basic skills, humanities, and math and science, but not in the arts or physical domains.