Science for Education Today, 2022, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 7–31
© Fedina N. V., Dormidontov R. A., Eliseev V. K., 2022
UDC: 
159.9.019+37.01

Main trends and priorities in Russian and international studies on cognitive and non-cognitive predictors of academic success

Fedina N. V. 1 (Lipetsk, Russian Federation), Dormidontov R. A. 1 (Lipetsk, Russian Federation), Eliseev V. K. 1 (Lipetsk, Russian Federation)
1 Lipetsk State Pedagogical P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky University
Full text (Open Access) — Downloaded 563
Abstract: 

Introduction. The article addresses the problem of predicting students’ academic success. The purpose of the article is to identify the main trends and priorities in Russian and international research on cognitive and non-cognitive predictors of academic success.
Materials and Methods. As a methodological basis for the scientific analysis, systemic and action-oriented approaches are used, which make it possible to consider various concepts of this problem in the light of social changes in the development of society and educational systems.
The research methods used in this study include analysis of scholarly literature, comparison, clarification, synthesis of outcomes and generalization.
Results. The authors summarize and present trends and priorities in examining a group of predictors underlying academic success in Russian and international psychological and educational research over the past decade. The main research results consist in identifying the vector of the shift in emphasis in the studies of Russian and foreign scientists towards the priority of investigating non-cognitive predictors of the academic success of students.
It has been revealed that over the past decade, non-cognitive predictors of influence at different levels have increasingly become the topic of studies by Russian and international researchers: social (level of social adjustment of students), socio-economic (socio-economic status of the family, socio-economic composition of the school), socio-psychological (school climate), personal (attitudes and positions of parents and teachers), etc.
Conclusions. The level of development of society and the educational system inevitably adjusts the influence of factors (predictors) that determine the academic success of students. It has been revealed that currently the main trend and priority direction of Russian and international psychological and educational research are non-cognitive predictors: personal predictors and predictors of social influence at the macro and micro levels.

Keywords: 

Predicting academic success; Predictors of academic success; Cognitive predictors; Non-cognitive predictors; Personality predictors; Predictors of social influence.

For citation:
Fedina N. V., Dormidontov R. A., Eliseev V. K. Main trends and priorities in Russian and international studies on cognitive and non-cognitive predictors of academic success. Science for Education Today, 2022, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 7–31. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15293/2658-6762.2206.01
References: 
  1. Alekseeva O. S., Rzhanova I. E., Britova V. S., Burdukova Yu. A. Academic performance and cognitive abilities in primary school students. Bulletin of Russian State University for the Humanities. Series Psychology. Pedagogy. Education, 2021, no. 1, pp. 51–64. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.28995/2073-6398-2021-1-51-64 URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44873617
  2. Borisova I. V. Adaptation in students of 5th classes: Relationship between school anxiety and learning motivation. Psychological Science and Education, 2018, vol. 23 (5), pp. 22–28. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2018230503 URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=36944525  
  3. Vartanova I. I. Psychological features of motivation and values in high school students of different sexes. Psychological Science and Education, 2017, vol. 22 (3), pp. 63–70. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2017220307 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=29898533 
  4. Vilkova I. A. Psychological features of “I” – concept of teenagers with learning difficulties. Psychology of Education in a Multicultural Space, 2019, no. 2, pp. 13–24. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.24888/2073-8439-2019-46-2-13-24 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=38498478 
  5. Golubeva E. A., Izyumova S. A., Kabardov M. K., Kadyrov B. R., Matova M. A., Pechenkov  V.  V., Suvorova V. V., Tikhomirova I. V., Turovskaya Z. G., Yusim E. D. The experience of a comprehensive study of students in connection with some problems of differentiation of education. Questions of Psychology, 1991, no. 2, pp. 132–140. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=26332939 
  6. Gordeeva T. O., Gizhitsky V. V. Universality and specificity of internal and external motivation of educational activity and their role as predictors of academic achievements. Izvestiya Dagestan State Pedagogical University. Psychological and Pedagogical Sciences, 2013, no. 3, pp. 5–13. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=21575247 
  7. Gordeeva T. O., Gizhitsky V. V., Sychev O. A., Gavrichenkova T. K. Motivation of self-respect and respect by others as factors of academic achievements and persistence in educational activity. Psychological Journal, 2016, vol. 37 (2), pp. 57–68. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=26002058 
  8. Gordeeva T. O., Sychev O. A., Gizhitsky V. V., Gavrichenkova T. K. Intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation scale for schoolchildren. Psychological Science and Education, 2017, vol.  22  (2), pp. 65–74. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2017220206 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=29817660 
  9. Dvoinin A. M., Savenkov A. I., Postavnev V. M., Trotskaya E. S. Cognitive predictors of academic success in preschool and primary school children. Issues of Psychology, 2020, no. 6, pp. 106–116. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=46530249  
  10. Dvoinin A. M., Trotskaya E. S. Cognitive predictors of academic success: How do the general patterns work in the early stages of education? Psychological Science and Education, 2022, vol.  27  (2), pp. 42–52. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2022270204 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=49179021  
  11. Ermolova T. V., Balygina E. A., Litvinov A. V., Guzova A. V. Formation of adolescents' achievement motivation in modern educational space. Modern Foreign Psychology, 2019, vol.  8  (2), pp. 7–18. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2019080201 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=38978135 
  12. Kersha Yu. D. School socio-economic composition as a factor of educational inequality review of measurement approaches and relation with academic outcomes. Economic Sociology, 2021, vol.  22  (1), pp. 92–123. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17323/1726-3247-2021-1-92-123 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44647023 
  13. Kersha Yu. D. How schoolmates affect your chances of getting into college: School socioeconomic composition and inequality in access to higher education. Educational Issues, 2021, no. 4, pp. 187–219. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17323/1814-9545-2021-4-187-219 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=474149 60
  14. Kersha Yu. D. School socioeconomic composition as a factor of educational inequality reproduction. Educational Issues, 2020, no. 4, pp. 85–112. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17323/1814-9545-2020-4-85-112 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44445596 
  15. Konstantinovsky D. L. Searching of the source of educational inequality. Sociological Science and Social Practice, 2021, vol. 9 (4), pp. 98–111. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/snsp.2021.9.4.8609  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=47431472
  16. Nai J. V. K., Oryol E. A., Kochergina E. V. The big five traits as predictors of academic achievements in university students. Psychological Research, 2013, vol. 6 (27) 27, pp. 4. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=19068171
  17. Maryutina T. M. Environmental influences as predictors of 7-8 year old children cognitive development in the context of psychogenetics. Experimental Psychology, 2008, no. 1, pp. 45–61. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=13019579
  18. Mishkevich A. M. Relationship between personal characteristics and the academic performance of high school students. Psychological and Pedagogical Research, 2021, vol. 13 (1), pp. 101–116. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psyedu.2021130107 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=45738116
  19. Morosanova V. I., Filippova E. V., Fomina T. G. Personal and re­gulatory predictors of academic success and reliability of actions of students in exam situation. Bulletin of the Moscow University. Series 14: Psychology, 2014, no. 4, pp. 4–16. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=22443959 
  20. Morosanova V. I., Fomina T. G., Ovanesbekova M. L. Interrelation between conscious self-adjustment, motivation and personality dispositions, and performance of schoolchildren. Humanities and Social Sciences, 2018, no. 2, pp. 124–133. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.22204/2587-8956-2018-091-02-124-133  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=36434147 
  21. Morosanova V. I., Shcheblanova E. I., Bondarenko I. N., Stdikov I. A. Relationship between psychometric intelligence, conscious self-regulation of learning activity and academic achievements of gifted adolescents. Moscow University Bulletin. Series 14 Psychology, 2013, no.  3, pp. 18–32. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=20419407 
  22. Postavnev V. M., Postavneva I. V., Dvoinin A. M., Romanova M. A. Predictors of the child's academic success in the early stages of education. Bulletin of the Moscow State Pedagogical University. Series: Pedagogy and Psychology, 2020, no. 4, pp. 64–73. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25688/2076-9121.2020.54.4.05 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44422060
  23. Rzhanova I. E. Structural organization of cognitive indicators in children of younger preschool age. Education and Training of Young Children, 2020, no 8, pp. 426–427. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=46223674
  24. Rzhanova I. E., Alekseeva O. S., Burdukova Yu. A. Successful learning: relationship between fluid intelligence and working memory. Psychological Science and Education, 2020, vol. 25 (1), pp. 63–74. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2020250106 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=42609316
  25. Slobodskaya E. R., Safronova M. V., Akhmetova O. A. Personal characteristics and lifestyle as factors in school performance of adolescents. Psychological Science and Education, 2008, no. 2, pp. 70–79. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=11750619
  26. Tikhomirova T. N., Voronin I. A., Misozhnikova E. B., Malykh S. B. The structure of the relationship between cognitive characteristics and academic success at school age. Theoretical and Experimental Psychology, 2015, vol. 8 (2), pp. 55–68. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=23877394 
  27. Tikhomirova T. N., Khusnutdinova E. K., Malykh S. B. Cognitive characteristics in primary school children with different levels of mathematical achievement. Siberian Journal of Psychology, 2019, no. 73, pp. 159–175. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17223/17267080/73/10  URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=41238942 
  28. Shcheblanova E. I. Features of cognitive and motivational-personal development of gifted high school students. Questions of Psychology, 1999, no. 6, pp. 36–47. (In Russian) URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=26765812
  29. Allphin M. A. Meta-analysis on non-cognitive predictors of college student academic performance. Academic Advising Commons, 2020, vol. 1090. URL:  https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1090 
  30. Ashraf M., Zaman M., Ahmed M. An intelligent prediction system for educational data mining based on ensemble and filtering approaches. Procedia Computer Science, 2020, vol. 167, pp. 1471–1483. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2020.03.358
  31. Block J. The five-factor framing of personality and beyond: Some ruminations. Psychological Inquiry, 2010, vol. 21 (1), pp. 2–25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10478401003596626   
  32. Bronfenbrenner U. Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 1977, vol. 32, pp. 513–531. URL: http://scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/a4f4a4545519d84c5c57095b4bcc685d7dd9.pdf
  33. Cermak B. J. Analyzing non-cognitive predictors of secondary and postsecondary academic achievement. Purdue University Graduate School. Thesis Draft Cermak Reformat, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25394/PGS.13369568.v1  
  34. Cho K. W., Serrano D. M. Noncognitive predictors of academic achievement among nontraditional and traditional ethnically diverse college student. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 2020, vol. 68 (3), pp. 190–206. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2020.1776557 
  35. Conger D., Long, M. C. Why are men falling behind? Gender gaps in college performance and persistence. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2010, vol.  627  (1), pp. 184–214. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716209348751 
  36. Duckworth A. L., Quirk A., Gallop R., Hoyle R. H., Kelly D. R., Matthews M. D. Cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success. PNAS Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2019, vol.116 (47), pp. 23499–23504. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910510116    
  37. Dickie L. O. Dedic H., Rosenfield S., Rosenfield E., Simon R. A. Success and persistence in science: The influence of classroom climate. Arxiv Physics, 2006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.physics/0610243 URL: https://arxiv.org/ftp/physics/papers/0610/0610243.pdf  
  38. Fan X., Chen M. Parental involvement and students’ academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 2001, vol. 13, pp.1–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009048817385
  39. Finn G. M., Mwandigha L., Paton L. W. The ability of ‘non-cognitive’ traits to predict undergraduate performance in medical schools: A national linkage study. BMC Medical Education, 2018, vol. 18, p. 93. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-018-1201-7
  40. Hershberger M. A. Social Cognitive Predictors of Academic Success in First-Year College Students. Educational Psychology Commons, 2020. URL:  https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_ifce_etds/112 
  41. Khalid S. A., Jusoff H. K., Othman M., Ismail M., & Rahman N. A. Organizational citizenship behavior as a predictor of student academic achievement. International Journal of Economics and Finance, 2010, vol. 2 (1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/IJEF.V2N1P65
  42. Komarraju M., Ramsey A., Rinella V. Cognitive and non-cognitive predictors of college readiness and performance: Role of academic discipline. Learning and Individual Differences, 2013, vol. 24, pp. 103–109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2012.12.007 
  43. Kriegbaum K., Becker N., Spinath B. The relative importance of intelligence and motivation as predictors of school achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 2018, vol.25, pp. 120–148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.10.001 
  44. Kriegbaum K., Steinmayr R., Spinath B. Longitudinal reciprocal effects between teachers’ judgments of students’ aptitude, students’ motivation, and grades in math. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 2019, vol. 59, pp. 101807. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101807
  45. Lee J., Stankov L. Non-cognitive predictors of academic achievement: Evidence from TIMSS and PISA. Learning and Individual Differences, 2018, vol. 65, pp. 50–64. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.05.009 
  46. Lee J., Shute V. J. Personal and social-contextual factors in K–12 academic performance: An integrative perspective on student learning. Educational Psychologist, 2010, vol. 45 (3), pp. 185–202. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2010.493471  URL:  https://myweb.fsu.edu/vshute/pdf/lee_shute.pdf
  47. Mattern K. D., Shaw E. J. A look beyond cognitive predictors of academic success: Understanding the relationship between academic self-beliefs and outcomes. Journal of College Student Development, 2010, vol.51 (6), pp. 665–678. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2010.0017
  48. Neumann M., Niessen A. S. M., Tendeiro J. N., Meijer R. R. The autonomy-validity dilemma in mechanical prediction procedures: The quest for a compromise. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 2022, vol. 35 (4), pp. e2270. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bdm.2270
  49. Niessen A. S. M., Kausel E. E., Neumann M. Using narratives and numbers in performance prediction: Attitudes, confidence, and validity. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 2022, vol. 30 (2), pp. 216–229. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12364
  50. Niessen A. S. M., Meijer R. R., Tendeiro J. N. Measuring non-cognitive predictors in highstakes contexts: The effect of self-presentation on self-report instruments used in admission to higher education. Personality and Individual Differences, 2017, vol. 106, pp. 183–189. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.11.014
  51. Noftle E. E., Robins R. W. Personality predictors of academic outcomes: Big five correlates of GPA and SAT scores. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007, vol. 93 (1), pp. 116–130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.93.1.116
  52. Norvilitis J., Reid H. Predictors of academic and social success and psychological well-being in college students. Education Research International, 2012, vol. 2012, pp. 272030. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/272030  URL:  https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/edri/2012/272030.pdf
  53. Paunonen S. V., Ashton M. C. Big five predictors of academic achievement. Journal of Research in Personality, 2001, vol.35 (1), pp. 78–90.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/jrpe.2000.2309 
  54. Reynolds K., Bazemore C., Hanebuth C., Hendren S., Horn M. The relationship of non-cognitive factors to academic and clinical performance in graduate rehabilitation science students in the United States: A systematic review. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 2021, vol. 18, pp. 31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2021.18.31
  55. Richardson M., Abraham C., Bond R. Psychological correlates of university students’ academic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 2012, vol. 138 (2), pp. 353–387. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026838 
  56. Ruffing S., Wach F.-S., Spinath F. M., Brünken R., Karbach J. Learning strategies and general cognitive ability as predictors of gender- specific academic achievement. Frontiers in Psychology, 2015, vol. 6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01238  
  57. von Stumm S., Smith-Woolley E., Ayorech Z., McMillan A., Rimfeld K., Dale P. S., Plomin R. Predicting educational achievement from genomic measures and socioeconomic status. Developmental Science, 2020, vol. 23 (3), pp. e12925. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12925
  58. Stankov L. Noncognitive predictors of intelligence and academic achievement: An important role of confidence. Personality and Individual Differences, 2013, vol. 55 (7), pp. 727–732. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.07.006  
  59. Steinmayr R., Spinath B. The importance of motivation as a predictor of school achievement. Learning and Individual Differences, 2009, vol. 19 (1), pp. 80–90. URL:  https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LINDIF.2008.05.004  
  60. Steinmayr R., Spinath B. Predicting school achievement from motivation and personality. Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie, 2007, vol. 21 (3/4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1024/1010-0652.21.3.207  
Date of the publication 31.12.2022