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Understanding school subject preferences: the role of trait interests, cognitive abilities and perceived engaging teaching

Journal Contribution - Journal Article

Why do students prefer one subject (e.g., mathematics) over another (e.g., languages)? This study examined how both students’ individual dispositions and environmental factors predicted school subject liking in a large sample of 3,409 Flemish middle-school students. First, subject preferences were found to depend on stable individual dispositions (i.e., trait interests and cognitive abilities). In particular, trait interests (RIASEC) predicted which school subject students liked best in general accordance with vocational interest theory. In addition, cognitive abilities were differentially related to subject liking, with fluid intelligence relating to a preference for mathematics and crystallized intelligence to a preference for humanities (i.e., history). Beyond trait interests and cognitive abilities, however, subject liking also depended on environmental characteristics. In particular, student perceptions of engaging teaching uniquely predicted how students liked their teachers’ subjects, suggesting that teachers can promote subject liking beyond individual dispositions.
Journal: Personality and Individual Differences
ISSN: 0191-8869
Volume: 174
Pages: 1 - 7
Publication year:2021
BOF-keylabel:yes
IOF-keylabel:yes
BOF-publication weight:1
CSS-citation score:1
Authors:International
Authors from:Higher Education
Accessibility:Open