The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Emotional intelligence, locus of control, self-esteem, test anxiety and academic achievement among Bahir Dar university students. A total of 89 3rd year Educational and Behavioral science students were selected using convenience sampling method. To collect data four questionnaires (EI, LC, SE and TA) and document analysis for AA were employed. One sample t-test, Pearson correlation, independent t-test and multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The result of one sample t-test shows that students have better level of EI. The level of students LC is slightly internal as a group. Students had significantly high level of self-esteem and students have low test anxiety level.
The study revealed that positive and significant relationship between EI and AA, EI and SE, EI and ILC, in contrast EI and ELC, EI and TA shows negative relationship. All EI dimensions show a positive significant relationship with AA. The independent sample t-test revealed that there was significance difference between male and female students in EI. Meaning males have higher score than females. There was statistically significant mean difference between male and female students. Female students have high level test anxiety than male students. Females are more external in locus of control than males. There is no mean difference between male students in AA and SE. regression analysis shows that LC, SE and TA predict academic achievement. On the other hand, the effects of emotional intelligence on academic achievement were found not statistically significant. Furthermore, the effect of LC and TA on AA found to be negative.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Objectives of the study
1.3.1. General objective
1.3.2. Specific objectives
1.4 Significance of the study
1.5. Delimitation of the study
1.6. Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Emotional intelligence Definition
2.2. Theoretical and Historical Background of Emotional Intelligence
2.2.1 Emotions and the Brain
2.2.2 Concepts of Emotional Intelligence
2.2.3 Approaches of emotional intelligence
2.2.4 Specific ability approaches to emotional intelligence
2.2.5. Integrative Model approaches to Emotional Intelligence
2.2.6. Mixed model Approaches to Emotional Intelligence
2.2.7 Gender Differences in Emotional Intelligence
2.2.8 Age Differences in Emotional Intelligence
2.2.9 The role of Emotional Intelligence in School achievement
2.2.10 Emotional Intelligence and its components
2.2.11 Benefits of emotional intelligence
2.3 Locus of Control
2.3.1 Definition of locus of control
2.3.2 Dimensions and approaches of locus of control
2.3.3 Locus of Control and Emotional Intelligence
2.3.4 Locus of control and academic achievement
2.4 Self-esteem
2.4.1 Definition of self-esteem
2.4.2 Explaining the concept of self-esteem
2.4.3 The relationship between emotional intelligence and self-esteem
2.4.4 The relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement
2.5 Test Anxiety
2.5.1 The concept and Definition of Test Anxiety
2.5.2 Causes of test anxiety
2.5.3 The relationship between test anxiety, emotional intelligence, self esteem and academic achievement
2.5.4 Sex difference in test anxiety
2.6 Summary of literature review
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1. Research design of the study
3.2. Population, sample and sampling technique
3.3. Instruments
3.3.1 Demographic questionnaire
3.3.2. Emotional intelligence scale
3.3.3. Locus of control scale
3.3.4. Self-esteem scale
3.3.5. Test Anxiety Scale
3.3.6. Academic achievement
3.4. Variables included in the study
3.5. Procedures of data collection
3.6 pilot test
3.6.1 Validity of the instruments
3.6.2. Reliability of the instrument
3.7. Scoring
3.8. Data analysis techniques
CHAPTR FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results
4.1.1 The level of students’ emotional intelligence, locus of control, self esteem and test anxiety
4.1.2 The relationship between emotional intelligence, locus of control, self esteem, test anxiety and academic achievement
4.1.3 The relationship between EI dimensions and AA
4.1.4 Comparison of emotional intelligence, locus of control, self esteem, test anxiety and academic achievement between male and female students
4.1.4 The result of multiple regressions on EI, LC, SE, TA and AA
4.2 DISCUSSION
4.2.1 The level of students’ emotional intelligence, locus of control, self esteem and test anxiety
4.2.2 The relationship between emotional intelligence, locus of control, self esteem, test anxiety and academic achievement
4.2.3 The relationship between EI dimensions and AA
4.2.4 Comparison of emotional intelligence, locus of control, self esteem, test anxiety and academic achievement between male and female students
4.2.5 The result of multiple regressions on EI, LC, SE, TA and AA
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMERY CONCULUSION AND RECOMENDATION
5.1 SUMMERY
5.2 CONCULUSION
5.3 RECOMENDATION
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary goal of this research is to investigate the relationships between emotional intelligence, locus of control, self-esteem, test anxiety, and the academic achievement of third-year students at Bahir Dar University. The study aims to determine whether these psychological factors significantly correlate with student performance, how they interact, and whether they serve as predictive indicators for academic success.
- The impact of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on academic performance.
- The role of Locus of Control (LC) as a mediator or predictor of success.
- The influence of Self-Esteem (SE) on educational outcomes.
- The relationship between Test Anxiety (TA) and academic achievement.
- Gender-based differences in these psychological variables among students.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.1 Emotions and the Brain
Emotions have been traditionally viewed as “disorganised interruptions of mental activity, so potentially disruptive that they must be controlled” (Woodworth, 1940). However, there were some theorists who saw emotions in a more positive light and suggested that they are primarily motivating forces. For example, (Leeper 1948) asserted that emotions are “processes which arouse, sustain and direct activity and contribute to logical thought and adaptive behaviour”. The basic emotions of fear, anger, disgust, sadness, joy and surprise are presumed to be hard-wired and physiologically distinctive. Our ‘fight or flight’ response suggests there is an evolutionary advantage to emotions, but can these basic emotions override our rational thinking?
Historically emotion and cognition were considered to be separate systems that seldom interacted. However, the last few decades have seen a notable shift in this perspective. Over the past thirty years neuroscientists have sought to understand how the ‘thinking’ brain interacts with the ‘emotional’ brain. The discipline of affective neuroscience is concerned with the neural bases of emotion and mood, and combines the work of psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, philosophers and biologists to address questions such as: Which brain systems underlie emotions? How does emotion processing in the brain relate to physiological changes due to emotion? And how does emotion processing interact with cognition? (Dalgleish, 2004).
One of the first contributions to the field of affective neuroscience was (Charles Darwin’s 1872) ground-breaking book, The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals. In this book he made two important contributions: firstly, he proposed that human and animal emotions have the same structure; and secondly, that there was a limited set of fundamental or basic emotions across species and across cultures. These emotions include anger, fear, sadness and surprise. Following on from (Darwin, in the 1880’s, William James 1882 and Carl Lange, 1885) developed similar ideas in parallel with each other that became known as the James-Lange Theory of Emotion (as cited in Dalgleish, 2004, p. 582). They controversially suggested that emotions are no more than the experience of sets of bodily changes that occur in response to emotive stimuli. (James, 1884) gives the much cited example of meeting a bear in the woods to explain the theory.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the study's background, problem statement, research objectives, significance, and definitions of terms regarding the impact of psychological variables on academic success.
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE: This section provides an extensive overview of existing research concerning Emotional Intelligence, Locus of Control, Self-esteem, and Test Anxiety, emphasizing their theoretical links to academic achievement.
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY: This chapter outlines the quantitative research design, sampling techniques (convenience sampling of 89 students), instruments used for data collection, and the statistical analysis procedures employed.
CHAPTR FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This chapter presents the statistical data collected, including correlations and regression analyses, followed by a discussion comparing the results with previous literature.
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMERY CONCULUSION AND RECOMENDATION: The final chapter summarizes the research findings, offers conclusions drawn from the results, and provides recommendations for university stakeholders.
Keywords
Emotional Intelligence, Locus of Control, Self-esteem, Test Anxiety, Academic Achievement, Bahir Dar University, Affective Neuroscience, Psychology, Academic Success, Quantitative Research, Multiple Regression, Student Attrition, Student Performance, Educational Psychology, Cognitive Strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper investigates the interplay between emotional intelligence, locus of control, self-esteem, test anxiety, and the academic achievement of third-year educational and behavioral science students at Bahir Dar University.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The central themes include psychological factors influencing learning outcomes, specifically how individual emotional regulation, perception of personal control, self-worth, and performance-related anxiety affect academic success.
What is the main objective or research question?
The study aims to determine if there is a significant relationship between the specified independent psychological variables and academic achievement, and whether these factors can collectively predict a student's cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
Which scientific methodology was applied?
The study utilizes a quantitative approach with a correlation design, employing tools such as one-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation, independent t-tests, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS v. 20.0.
What is primarily covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the literature review on relevant psychological theories, the methodology for sampling and testing, and a detailed results section that analyzes the data against established theories.
How are the key terms defined for this study?
The study uses established scales (such as Bar-On for Emotional Intelligence and Rosenberg for Self-esteem) and defines academic achievement as the cumulative outcome of instruction measured by CGPA.
How did the study find gender influences academic performance?
The research identified statistically significant differences in emotional intelligence and test anxiety levels between males and females, though no significant difference was found regarding self-esteem or overall academic achievement.
What role does locus of control play in student achievement?
The study concludes that locus of control is a significant predictor of academic achievement, where an internal locus of control is associated with better performance, while an external locus of control correlates with lower success.
- Quote paper
- Moges Gebresellassie (Author), 2014, The relationship between emotional intelligence, locus of control, self-esteem, test anxiety and academic achievement of Bahir Dar university students, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/513535
