Teachers' Perceptions about the Etiology of Intelligence and Learning Difficulties

Authors

https://doi.org/10.17583/ijep.2019.3777

Keywords:


Downloads

Abstract

The etiology of intelligence and learning difficulties are interpreted and perceived in different ways within society. The present study aims to explore the perceptions of a sample of n=501 Brazilian teachers regarding genetic and environmental influences on intelligence and learning difficulties. Using numerical scales, it was observed that importance was ascribed by teachers to genetic and environmental influences across both the intelligence and learning difficulties domains. A multiple choice items test revealed differences on the perceptions of teachers according to gender, age, schooling, area of knowledge, income, years of experience, knowledge of genetics, and having studied genetics. Responses favouring genetic explanations were associated with certain demographic factors while the perception that only environment affects the various domains was not associated with any specific demographics.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abed, A. L. Z. (2016). O desenvolvimento das habilidades socioemocionais como caminho para a aprendizagem e o sucesso escolar de alunos da educação básica. Construção psicopedagógica, 24(25), 8-27. Recuperado em 29 de junho de 2018, de http://pepsic.bvsalud.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S141569542016000100002&lng=pt&tlng=pt. ISSN 1415-6954.

Google Scholar Crossref

Almeida, L. S. (1992). Inteligência e aprendizagem: Dos seus relacionamentos à sua promoção. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 8(3), 277-292.

Google Scholar Crossref

Antonelli-Ponti, Versuti & Da Silva (2018) Teachers’ perception about genes and behavior. Estudos de Psicologia Campinas, 35, 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1982-02752018000400009

Google Scholar Crossref

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Arlington. http://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.744053

Google Scholar Crossref

Asbury, K., & Plomin, R. (2013). G is for Genes: The impact of genes on education and achievement (Vol. 1). Wiley Blackwell. http://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004

Google Scholar Crossref

Bernard, T., & Taffesse, A. (2014). Aspirations: An approach to measurement with validation using Ethiopian data. Journal of African Economies, 23(2), 189-224. https://doi.org/10.1093/jae/ejt030

Google Scholar Crossref

Briley, & Tucker-Drob, E. M. (2013). Explaining the Increasing Heritability of Cognitive Ability Across Development: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Twin and Adoption Studies. Psychological Science, 24(9), 1704–1713. http://doi.org/10.1177/0956797613478618

Google Scholar Crossref

Castéra, J., & Clément, P. (2014). Teachers’ Conceptions About the Genetic Determinism of Human Behaviour: A Survey in 23 Countries. Science & Education, 23(2), 417–443. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-012-9494-0

Google Scholar Crossref

Crosswaite, M., & Asbury, K. (2016). ‘Mr Cummings clearly does not understand the science of genetics and should maybe go back to school on the subject’: an exploratory content analysis of the online comments beneath a controversial news story. Life sciences, society and policy, 12(1), 11. DOI 10.1186/s40504-016-0044-4

Google Scholar Crossref

Crosswaite, M., & Asbury, K. (2018). Teacher beliefs about the aetiology of individual differences in cognitive ability, and the relevance of behavioural genetics to education. British Journal of Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12224

Google Scholar Crossref

Deary, I. J., Strand, S., Smith, P., & Fernandes, C. (2007). Intelligence and educational achievement. Intelligence, 35(1), 13–21. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2006.02.001

Google Scholar Crossref

Erbeli, F., Hart, S. A., & Taylor, J. (2018). Genetic and Environmental Influences on Achievement Outcomes Based on Family History of Learning Disabilities Status. Journal of learning disabilities, 1(11). https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219418775116

Google Scholar Crossref

Gericke, N., Carver, R., Castéra, J., Evangelista, N. A. M., Marre, C. C., & El-Hani, C. N. (2017). Exploring Relationships Among Belief in Genetic Determinism, Genetics Knowledge, and Social Factors. Science & Education, 26(10), 1223–1259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-017-9950-y

Google Scholar Crossref

Gould, S. J. (1996). The mismeasure of man. New York: Norton & Company.

Google Scholar Crossref

Haworth, C. M. A., & Plomin, R. (2010). Quantitative Genetics in the Era of Molecular Genetics: Learning Abilities and Disabilities as an Example. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(8), 783–793. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2010.01.026

Google Scholar Crossref

Haworth, Wright, M. J., Luciano, M., Martin, N. G., Geus, E. J. C. De, Van, C. E. M., …Plomin, R. (2011). The heritability of general ability increases linearly from childhood to young adulthood. Molecular Psychiatry, 15(11), 1112–1120. http://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2009.55.The

Google Scholar Crossref

Human Genetics Comission. (2001). Public attitudes to human genetic information: People’s Panel quantitative study conducted for the Human Genetics Commission.

Google Scholar Crossref

Jacquard, A., Kahn, A. (2001). 100 % inné, 100 % acquis. In Jacquard, A., Kahn, A. L’avenir n'est pas écrit. Paris: Bayard

Google Scholar Crossref

Medeiros, P. C., Loureiro, S. R., Linhares, M. B. M., & Marturano, E. M.. (2003). O senso de auto-eficácia e o comportamento orientado para aprendizagem em crianças com queixa de dificuldade de aprendizagem. Estudos de Psicologia (Natal), 8(1), 93-105. https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-294X2003000100011

Google Scholar Crossref

Mendes, D. M. L. F., & Seidl-de-Moura, M. L. (2016). Facial expressions in mother-baby interactional contexts and emotional development. In B. Flores (Ed.), Emotional a Facial Expressions: Recognition, Developmental Differences and Social Importance (pp. 91-108). NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Google Scholar Crossref

Oliveira, J. P. de, Santos, S. A. dos, Aspilicueta, P., & Cruz, G. de C. (2012). Concepções de professores sobre a temática das chamadas dificuldades de aprendizagem. Revista Brasileira de Educação Especial, 18(1), 93–112. Disponível em: <http://hdl.handle.net/11449/117886>.

Google Scholar Crossref

Plomin, R., Defries, J. C., McClearn, G. E., & McGuffin, P. (2011). Genética do

Google Scholar Crossref

Comportamento (5o Edição). São Paulo: Artmed.

Google Scholar Crossref

Plomin, R., DeFries, J. C., Knopik, V. S., & Neiderhiser, J. M. (2016). Top 10 replicated findings from behavioral genetics. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(1), 3-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615617439

Google Scholar Crossref

Plomin, R., Shakeshaft, N. G., McMillan, A., & Trzaskowski, M. (2014). Nature, Nurture, and Expertise. Intelligence, 45, 46–59. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2013.06.008

Google Scholar Crossref

Poropat, A. E. (2009). A meta-analysis of the five-factor model of personality and academic performance. Psychological Bulletin, 135(2), 322–38. http://doi.org/10.1037/a0014996

Google Scholar Crossref

Rattan, A., Savani, K., Naidu, N. V. R., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). Can everyone become highly intelligent? Cultural differences in and societal consequences of beliefs about the universal potential for intelligence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(5), 787-803. http://dx .doi.org/10.1037/a0029263

Google Scholar Crossref

Rindermann, H., Becker, D., & Coyle, T. R. (2016a). Survey of expert opinion on intelligence: Causes of international differences in cognitive ability tests. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 399. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00399

Google Scholar Crossref

Rindermann, H., Becker, D., & Coyle, T. R. (2016b). Survey of expert opinion on intelligence: The FLynn effect and the future of intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 106, 242-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.10.061

Google Scholar Crossref

Santos, P. L., & Graminha, S. S. V.. (2006). Problemas emocionais e comportamentais associados ao baixo rendimento acadêmico. Estudos de Psicologia (Natal), 11(1), 101-109. https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-294X2006000100012

Google Scholar Crossref

Senior, V., Marteau, T. M., & Peters, T. J. (1999). Will genetic testing for predisposition for disease result in fatalism? A qualitative study of parents responses to neonatal screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia. Social science & medicine, 48(12), 1857-1860. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(99)00099-4

Google Scholar Crossref

Silva, H. M., Clément, P., Leão, I. M. S., Garros, T. V., & Carvalho, G. S. (2017). Biology teachers’ conceptions about the origin of life in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay: a comparative study. Zygon®, 52(4), 943-961.

Google Scholar Crossref

Snyderman, M., & Rothman, S. (1988). The IQ Controversy, the Media and Public Policy. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.

Google Scholar Crossref

Swagerman, S. C., van Bergen, E., Dolan, C., de Geus, E. J. C., Koenis, M. M. G., Hulshoff Pol, H. E., & Boomsma, D. I. (2015). Genetic transmission of reading ability. Brain and Language. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2015.07.008

Google Scholar Crossref

Thomas, A. J., & Sarnecka, B. W. (2015). Exploring the relation between people’s theories of intelligence and beliefs about brain development. Frontiers in Psychology, 6(July), 1–12. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00921

Google Scholar Crossref

Walker, S. O., & Plomin, R. (2005). The Nature–Nurture Question: Teachers’ perceptions of how genes and the environment influence educationally relevant behaviour. Educational Psychology, 25(5), 509–516. http://doi.org/10.1080/01443410500046697

Google Scholar Crossref

Downloads

Published

2019-06-24

Almetric

Dimensions

How to Cite

Antonelli-Ponti, M., & Crosswaite, M. (2019). Teachers’ Perceptions about the Etiology of Intelligence and Learning Difficulties. International Journal of Educational Psychology, 8(2), 162–187. https://doi.org/10.17583/ijep.2019.3777

Issue

Section

Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)