Theories of Intelligence, Achievement Goals and Learning Strategies of Chinese Students.

It has been suggested that students' belief of whether intelligence is malleable and flexible would affect their purpose of achievement (achievement goals). This might, in turn, influence their learning strategies. The present study examined the above relationships among 194 Grade 7 Chinese students in Hong Kong. Structural equation modeling showed that high achievers were more concerned with understanding (deep strategy) and less with facts memorization (surface strategy). The belief that intelligence was a fixed inmalleable quantity (entity theory of intelligence) was related to the goal of getting work done with minimum effort (work avoidance goal), which, in turn, was related to a surface learning strategy. Sex differences showed boys to be stronger in goals which emphasized learning and outperforming others. (Author)