Challenging Conventional "Wisdom": Implicit Beliefs About Giftedness and Intelligence Among Preservice Teachers

• In Event: 16.061 - Roundtable Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: 16.061-5 - Extending Mindset Research: Implicit Beliefs of Teachers and Students in Diverse Contexts

Abstract

Implicit conceptualizations of intelligence and giftedness can influence policy, practice, and achievement. The current study surveyed 163 pre-service teachers on their implicit beliefs about giftedness and intelligence. Overall, these beliefs were mildly correlated (r = .36) but not redundant. On average, participants endorsed stronger entity beliefs about giftedness as opposed to intelligence. Some believed them both to be fixed (dual-entity) or malleable (dual-incremental). Others endorsed non-concordant views; an entity-gifted, incremental-intelligence belief pattern was most common. Responses to a pictorial prompt also revealed belief heterogeneity. The slight majority (51%) believed the two constructs partially overlap and 20% felt that giftedness is subsumed under intelligence. Findings suggest that pre-service teachers endorse domain-specific implicit beliefs about giftedness and intelligence.

Authors

• Kate E. Snyder, Hanover College

• Matthew C. Makel, Duke University

• Jill L. Adelson, University of Louisville

• Michael M. Barger, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign