Strive to Succeed? The Role of Persistence in the Process of Educational Attainment

Abstract

This article examines the role of effort in the process of educational attainment. First, I analyze the impact of effort on future tertiary educational attainment. Then, I test two sociological theories that argue that effort transmits educational inequality across generations. According to the first theory, parental background shapes the effort that children exert in education-related activities. The second theory argues that the drivers of effort in this context are educational expectations. I use a variable for effort that is measured directly over the course of the Programme for International Student Assessment test. Using a longitudinal data set from Australia, I estimate different hierarchical and structural equations models. I find that the measure of effort is positively and significantly associated with the probability of having obtained a tertiary degree 10 years later. Furthermore, the results show partial support for the second theory but not for the first one.

Non-cognitive skills and social gaps in digital skills: Evidence from ICILS 2018

“…Lee (2020) attempts to identify the most important non-cognitive predictors of student achievement. While Palacios-Abad (2021) concludes that student effort influences the likelihood of completing higher education, Zamarro et al (2019) , using PISA data, demonstrate that this factor explains a considerable part of the variation in test scores across countries.…”

Persistence Is Multi-Trait: Persistence Scale Development and Persistence Perseveration and Perfectionism Questionnaire into Polish Translation

“…In the modern world, people are praised for taking on challenges and persisting through difficulties to achieve the goals set for them or set by themselves. Described trait is called persistence, and is regularly regarded as a necessary element for success [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. The construct of persistence has yielded a great number of investigations, followed by many conceptualisations and terms or keywords such as the need to achieve the goals and strive for the goal, commitment, self-control, courage, drive, diligence or conscientiousness [ 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”

“…Persistence is often approached from a motivational perspective, but research also identifies individuals for whom persistence appears to be habitual and is applied to achieve all broad spectrum goals. This concept has led to the notion of a persistent person in whom persistence may manifest as a distinct trait [ 1 , 6 ].…”

Making it to the Academic Path in a Tracked Education System: The Interplay of Individual Agency and Social Origin in Early Educational Transitions

“…Study effort refers to the intensity of the commitment to studying and the amount of energy invested toward achieving an academic goal (Rieger et al, 2022 ). Not surprisingly, scholars have been able to document the positive influence of effort on educational outcomes (Palacios-Abad, 2021 ). Effort has been identified among the dimensions of agency holding a primary role in the motivational system, being especially stable over the life course.…”