CAUSALITY, AGENCY, AND CONTROL BELIEFS IN EAST VERSUS WEST-BERLIN CHILDREN - A NATURAL EXPERIMENT ON THE ROLE OF CONTEXT

Beliefs about factors that affect school performance (means-ends or ca usality beliefs) and about self-efficacy and control (agency and contr ol beliefs) were assessed in 313 East Berlin children (grades 26) befo re unification and in 516 West Berlin children shortly after unificati on. Multiple-group analyses of mean and covariance structures yielded 2 major differences: (a) East Berlin children showed lower agency and control beliefs than West Berlin children, and (b) their agency and co ntrol beliefs were more highly correlated with school grades than West Berlin children's, with strong correlations already emerging in East Berlin 2nd graders. Findings were consistent with differences between East and West Berlin school systems. East Berlin regulations (a) empha sized public performance feedback and public self-evaluation and (b) e nforced unidimensional teaching strategies. Results point to a risk fa ctor for development in East Berlin children.