IN THE PRESENT STUDY, THREE ALTERNATIVE CAUSAL MODELS CONCERNING TH...
5. In the present study, three alternative causal models concerning the relationships between implicit theories of intelligence, perceived academic competence, and school achievement were tested. The direction of changes in implicit theories and perceived competence during early adolescence was also examined. A total of 187 fifth and sixth graders were tested and retested a year later, when they were sixth and seventh graders, respectively. Cross-lagged regression analyses indicated that school achievement determined the adoption of a particular implicit theory through the mediation of perceived competence. Implicit theories were found to change toward the adoption of more incremental beliefs and perceived academic competence declined; however, high achievers, as compared with their low- and middle-level classmates, adopted more incremental beliefs, and had significantly higher perceived competence. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: implicit theories of intelligence operationalized as incremental beliefs; other operationalizations not clear but presumably academic achievement was operationalized as grades or GPA.