Intelligence alone does not guarantee a child’s academic success: Study

A new British study reveals that a child’s intelligence is not the only factor determining academic achievement; instead, qualities like grit and perseverance play a significant role in their success. Instead, new genetic data reveals that intellect combined with “non-cognitive” qualities, such as a will to succeed despite hurdles and an instinctive love of learning, can propel a child to the top of the class.

“Our research challenges the long-held assumption that intelligence is the primary driver of academic achievement,” stated Dr. Margherita Malanchini, co-lead author. “We’ve found compelling evidence that non-cognitive skills — such as grit and perseverance, academic interest, and value attributed to learning — are not only significant predictors of success, but that their influence grows stronger over time,” continued Malanchini, a senior lecturer in psychology at Queen Mary University of London.

The findings were released in the journal Nature Human Behaviour on August 26 by her and Dr. Andrea Allegrini, a co-lead study author from University College London.

In this latest study, almost 10,000 British kids were followed from the age of 7 to 16 in terms of their academic performance. The London researchers also examined each child’s DNA at the same time, looking for genes associated with specific non-cognitive abilities.

Genetic Influence on Academic Performance

In an additional attempt to examine how shared genes can affect academic outcomes, the team analysed the results in pairs of identical and fraternal twins. A “polygenic” score was generated by combining the data to forecast the academic performance of each child.

Allegrini, a research fellow at University College London, stated in a Queen Mary news release, “We discovered that genetic effects associated with non-cognitive skills become increasingly predictive of academic achievement over the school years, in fact their effect nearly doubles between the ages of 7 and 16.” “By the end of compulsory education, genetic dispositions towards non-cognitive skills were equally as important as those related to cognitive abilities in predicting academic success.”

To put it differently, motivation, curiosity, and other qualities are just as important for academic achievement as IQ alone. According to the researchers, some of that depends on factors other than heredity, such as the home or school environment. That idea was supported in part by the twins investigation.

“We found that while family-wide processes play a significant role, the increasing influence of non-cognitive genetics on academic achievement remained evident even within families,” Allegrini said. “This suggests that children may actively shape their own learning experiences based on their personality, dispositions and abilities, creating a feedback loop that reinforces their strengths.”

According to the new research, schools should give students’ grades more credit than just intelligence.

“Our education system has traditionally focused on cognitive development,” stated Malanchini. “It’s time to shift that emphasis and place equal value on developing noncognitive talents. By doing this, we can make the learning environment more productive and inclusive for every student.”

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