RELATIONSHIPS AMONG CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS, SELFCONCEPT, PERSONALITY AND ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT AMONG COLLEGES OF EDUCATION STUDENTS IN NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract
This study investigated the relationships among causal attributions, self- concept, personality, and academic attainment amongst Colleges of Education students in north- west of Nigeria. Basically, the study was designed to examine how the said variables affect students in learning situation. Academic Causal Attributions Scale (ACAS), Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) and Self- concept as a Learner Scale (SCAL) questionnaires were administered to 389 students (300 level) drawn from eight Colleges of Education in the north- western Nigeria. Furthermore, the students’ cumulative grades per average (CGPA) were used as measures of academic attainment. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and t-test were employed to determine the degree of relationships and differences in order to test the hypotheses. Thus, the major findings of the results revealed that neuroticism has inverse relationship with academic attainment of student but students’ level of causal attributions of success and failure have significant influence on their level of Self- concept. Science students on the other hand have high personality scores than their Arts (students) counterpart. Moreover, students’ academic attainment is significantly influenced by their level of self- concept; therefore, self- concept is an important factor in predicting academic success of students; parental levels of education do not influence the academic attainment of students. The study further recommends that teachers should minimize punishment for failure as students’ performance could be improved by encouraging them to put more efforts in their studies. The self- concept of students should be improved in order to create good atmosphere for learning; students should be encouraged to persist in academic task teachers should help them establish a sincere belief that they are competent and that occasional imperfections or failures are the result of some other factor (such as bad luck or a lack of sufficient effort) that need not be present on future occasions. Similarly, students should not be judged or evaluated on the basis of their personality but on the basis of their effort. The study also made recommendation for further research in the area using other variables.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Postgraduate School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in partial fulfillment for the requirements of the award of Ph.D in Educational Psychology, Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Education.
Keywords
RELATIONSHIP,, CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS,, SELFCONCEPT,, PERSONALITY,, ACADEMIC,, ATTAINMENT,, COLLEGES OF EDUCATION,, STUDENTS,, NORTHWESTERN,, NIGERIA
Citation
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