Personality determines success during study?
Discipline and integrity are at least as important for study success, as the IQ is. This is the result of a new research by social- and organization psychologist Anita de Vries, at the Free University of Ams-terdam.
Brains or personality?
In education, the view that the intelligence and capacities of students determine their success during their study dominates. In primary school, it is put forward that the results of the CITO-test can predict which level of education the pupil will be able to achieve. The personality of the pupil is often not paid attention to, while it is very important during the educational period, according to the results of De Vries’ research.
Less motivation, less success
Research has shown that the disciplined and well-organized student gets higher grades and also has more chance to graduate compared to students who are intelligent but less motivated.
More thought for personality
Can we now say that all honest, well-organized students finish their study successfully? De Vries: ‘That is a bit too much of a superficial remark, because there are of course more factors which influ-ence the success. But it is time that educational institutes and students become aware of the role that someone’s personality plays in study success. Institutes can take this into account by paying more attention to study supporting and advice.’
Any sense at all?
HAN-student Sanne thinks that motivation is definitely important during your study, but it is not deter-mining for everything. ‘In my first year, I had a classmate who worked really hard but didn’t make it after all. And the other way around; I see students who don’t do anything at all, but get high grades again and again. I think there is neither rhyme or reason to it, it can’t make any sense of it.’
