Contribution of Intelligence and Cognitive-Affective Variables to University Grades among African, Indian, and White Engineering Students in South Africa

In previous studies significant differences in measured intelligence between African and non-African first year engineering students have been found. Intellectual ability was found to correlate with academic performance, and black studednts had higher dropout and failure rates and performed less well than did their non-African counterparts. Given the low magnitude (r = 0.3), albeit significant, of the correlation between intelligence and academic performance, the question arose of the role of non-intellective factors, relative to intelligence, in determining academic performance of engineering students at University. Accordingly, 93% (n=100) of the second year Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering class were assessed on two measures of intellectual ability, and on measures of self concept, motivation, study attitudes and strategies, anxiety, locus of control, and autonomy. Whereas the intelligence test scores of non-African students (n=36) were significantly higher than those of African students (n=64), this was not the case for any of the non-intellective measures, or for academic achievement. Moreover, although the intellectual measures did not yield significant correlations with academic achievement, certain of the non-intellective measures did, and were able to differentiate between high and low academic performers. This was particularly true for the African group, suggesting that non-intellective variables can contribute significantly to academic performance, particularly in mitigating the effects of lower IQ.