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Sex differences in secondary school success: why female students perform better

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Abstract

School success is closely linked to intelligence but also to non-cognitive factors such as achievement motivation. The present study examines which non-cognitive factors predict secondary school grades and looks at reasons why female students tend to outperform their male counterparts. A sample of 554 German freshman students provided measures of general intelligence, achievement motivation, science course choice, self-efficacy, self-perceived academic achievement, and test anxiety. Results show that achievement motivation, self-perceived academic achievement, and sex significantly contribute to the final secondary school success above intelligence. Females’ advantage in final secondary school grades becomes even larger after controlling for general intelligence. This advantage can be explained by females’ higher achievement motivation. Showing more compensatory effort as well as self-control and taking more pride in their own productivity helps females to outperform their male counterparts at secondary school.

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Correspondence to Franziska Fischer.

Additional information

Franziska Fischer. Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany. E-Mail: franziska.fischer@uni-konstanz.de; Website: http://www.psychologie.uni-konstanz.de/genderfairness/

Current themes of research:

Sex-Specific Differential Prediction of College Admission Tests. Aptitude testing. Intelligence.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Fischer, F., Schult, J. & Hell, B., submitted. Sex-Specific Differential Prediction of College Admission Tests: A Meta-Analysis

Johannes Schult. Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany. E-Mail: johannes.schult@uni-konstanz.de; Web site: http://www.psychologie.uni-konstanz.de/genderfairness/

Current themes of research:

Psychometrics. Sex Differences in Education. Psychological Assessment and Testing.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Schult, J., Hell, B., Päßler, K., Schuler, H., submitted. Sex-Specific Under-Prediction of Academic Achievement: Does the Intelligence Domain Matter?

Dr. Benedikt Hell. Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany. E-Mail: benedikt.hell@uni-konstanz.de; Web site: http://www.psychologie.uni-konstanz.de/genderfairness/

Current themes of research:

Gender Differences. Fairness of psychological tests in general. Validity and fairness of admission tests. Test-takers view on psychological assessment. Personnel selection. Vocational guidance.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Hell, B. & Päßler, K. (2011). Are occupational interests hormonally influenced? The 2D:4D-interest nexus. Personality and Individual Differences, 51 (4), 376–380. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2010.05.033.

Hell, B. & Schuler, H. (2005). Verfahren der Studierendenauswahl aus Sicht der Bewerber.[Test-takers view on Admission Testing]. Empirische Pädagogik, 19, 4, 361–376.

Hell, B., Trapmann, S., Weigand, S. & Schuler, H. (2007). Die Validität von Auswahlgesprächen im Rahmen der Hochschulzulassung—eine Metaanalyse. [The Validity of Admission Interviews—a meta-analysis]. Psychologische Rundschau, 58, 2, 93–102. doi: 10.1026/0033-3042.58.2.93.

Trapmann, S., Hell, B., Hirn, S. & Schuler, H. (2007). Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between the Big Five and Academic Success at University. Zeitschrift für Psychologie/Journal of Psychology, 215, 2, 132–151. doi: 10.1027/0044-3409.215.2.132.

Von Stumm, S., Hell, B. & Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2011). The hungry mind: Intellectual curiosity is the third pillar of academic performance. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 574–588. doi: 10.1177/1745691611421204.

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Fischer, F., Schult, J. & Hell, B. Sex differences in secondary school success: why female students perform better. Eur J Psychol Educ 28, 529–543 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-012-0127-4

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