A German-led study has determined children's perceptions of ability, achievement and interests change as a child ages.
The study by researchers at Humboldt University in Berlin and the University of Michigan in the United States showed children in early grades may like a subject in which they don't feel very competent, or they may feel competent in a subject in which they perform poorly.
But, the researchers found, by the end of high school, children generally are most interested in the subjects in which they believe they are the strongest.
The study also found boys are more likely than girls to match interests and abilities. For example, boys are more likely to get the best grades in the school subjects in which they are most interested, whereas girls may get good grades regardless of their interest level.
The study's findings are reported in the current issue of the journal Child Development.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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