Individual Differences in Educational Settings:
Studying Self-Efficacy
An educational psychologist studied adolescents’ self-efficacy in school. The researcher was particularly interested in adolescents’ self-efficacy for learning
physics, and in how self-efficacy is related to performance in physics and to intelligence. Data were collected in a secondary school in southeast London.
One hundred and three children who were between thirteen
and fifteen years old completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning
Questionnaire . For the purpose of this
study, only the subscale ‘self-efficacy’ was considered. The researcher also
measured all participants’ IQs and collected their scores on a physics exam at
the end of the school year . The key findings are presented overleaf.
2.1. Ethics
Outline key ethical issues that need to be considered. Briefly explain how you would take these into account. Your answer should make reference to ethical guidelines for research.
2.2. Self-Efficacy
Explain what self-efficacy is and how it is measured with the MSLQ.
2.3. Interpretation of Findings
Interpret the key findings from the study. 20 marks
