Mathematics education

Cognitive psychology

Social psychology

Encryption

Operating system

Goal theory

Developmental psychology

Computer science

Malleability

Psychology

Ciphertext

The Journal of General Psychology

The authors tested a developmental model of children's theories about intelligence in kindergarten, second grade, and fourth grade children by using paper-and-pencil maze tasks. Older children were more likely than younger children to espouse learning goals (e.g., that they preferred difficult mazes to improve their skill), and less likely to espouse performance goals (e.g., that they preferred easy mazes to be successful). Children in all 3 age groups reported stronger beliefs in the malleability of intelligence than the stability of intelligence. In general, the results supported the authors' hypotheses about developmental change in children's theory-like conceptions of intelligence: Beliefs, goals, and motivation were related in expected ways for second and fourth graders more than for kindergartners. The authors discussed contextual influences on children's beliefs and the development of children's conceptualizations of intelligence. Keywords: achievement goalsconcept developmententity beliefsincremental beliefsintelligence beliefsmotivationtheories of intelligence

Children's Theories of Intelligence: Beliefs, Goals, and Motivation in the Elementary Years