THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IMPLICIT THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE AND LEARNING APPROACHES

The present study aims to examine the relationship between implicit theory of intelligence and learning approaches. An analysis of the literature reveals that there is a dearth of research on the relationship between implicit theory of intelligence and learning approaches and research has focused on participants from a variety of cultures. Considering the fact that cultural factors have a role in shaping beliefs, it is thought that the relationship between implicit theory of intelligence and learning approaches might be influenced by cultural factors, as well. Therefore, carrying out research on different cultures in order to understand the relationship between implicit theory of intelligence and learning approaches is highly significant in terms of contributing to the generalizability of this relationship. In this respect, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between implicit theory of intelligence and learning approaches within a sample of Turkish participants.

Data were collected from 257 university students, 123 of whom were female and 134 of whom were male in 2012-2013 Education Year Fall Semester. Implicit Theory of Intelligence Scale (ITIS) and Learning Approaches Scale (LAS) were used as data collection instruments. ITIS developed by Abd-El-Fattah and Yates (2006) for measuring students' beliefs about intelligence was adapted to Turkish by the researchers. The scale has a 4-point Likert type grading. ITIS has fourteen items and a two-dimensional structure. As for measuring students' learning approaches, Revised Two-Factor LAS was used. This scale was developed by Biggs (2001) and adapted to Turkish by Batı, Tetik and Gürpınar (2010). LAS which has twenty items and a two-factor structure with 5-point Likert type grades.

In the study, the relationship between implicit theory of intelligence scale and learning approaches was analyzed by means of canonical correlation analysis. Canonical correlation analysis is used for analyzing the relationship between two sets of variables [(X1, X2,…,Xn and Y1, Y2,…,Ym) and (n≥2 ve m≥2)], each having at least two variables. As a result of the canonical correlation analysis, the common variance between implicit theory of intelligence and learning approaches was found to be .38.
The obtained findings have been discussed in relation to the findings reported in the literature.