New Perspectives in Science Education

This study demonstrated the respective contributions of cognitive abilities and personality traits on junior secondary school students’ mathematics achievement in Oyo State, Nigeria. The respondents were 120 junior secondary III in-school adolescents (mean age: 14) who took three cognitive tests. Their reliabilities were as follows: g factor (r = 0.81), Numerical ability (r = 0.83), Spatial ability (r = 0.79), Agreeableness (r = 0.85), Extraversion (r = 0.79), Openness (r = 0.91), Neuroticism (r = 0.81) and Conscientiousness (r = 0.82). Pearson product moment correlation and Multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance were used for data analysis. Agreeableness (r = 0.89), Extraversion (r = 0.61), Openness (r = -0.68), Neuroticism (r = 0.53) and Conscientiousness (r = 0.32) were significantly correlated with students’ achievement in mathematics. There was a significant composite contribution of Big Five factors (f(5,114) = 16.57; Adj R2 = 0.68) which accounted 68.0% of its variance. Openness-intellect had an effect on students’ achievement in mathematics with most effects being indirect ones mediated by quantitative reasoning achievement. Neuroticism-anxiety (β = 0.35), Openness (β = 0.23) and Agreeableness (β = 0.67) contributed to students’ achievement in mathematics. Personality was complementary to abilities in predicting mathematics achievement. Possible conceptual extension and fixed application are addressed in the conclusion.

Keywords: Personality traits, Abilities, Mathematics achievement, In-school adolescents, Oyo State;