PREDICTION OF PERFORMANCE FROM MOTIVATION AND ABILITY INFORMATION IN BURKINA-FASO ADOLESCENTS

Many studies, using information integration theory, have been devoted to the prediction of performance on the basis of ability and motivatio n information. However, it appears that only two societies, American a nd East Indian, have been examined with regard to their prevalent perf ormance prediction model. Participants in this study were school child ren in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Considerable differences between ind ividuals were expected because, as a consequence of colonization, Burk ina Faso has been torn between two different value systems: a collecti vistic system, with traditional tribal Burkinabe values, and an indivi dualistic system, with occidental values. The study's most notable fin ding was the coexistence of these two value systems within the same so ciety. The predominant logic of Western societies, that increased moti vation will result in increased rewards when initial ability is high, was utilized by 42% of the children; in contrast, 38% of the children applied the dominant logic expressed by East Indian researchers, who h ave found that regardless of the level of ability, any amount of motiv ation will result in an identical improvement in performance.