When Sonya was a child, her teachers told her that she would always have to work very hard in school because she wasn't as smart as the other children. Now Sonya is an adolescent who scores well on IQ tests yet gets below-average grades in school. Which of these statements about Sonya is most likely to be true?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sonya's teachers telling her she wasn't as smart as other children may have led her to develop learned helplessness, which can result in a lack of motivation and low self-esteem that affects academic performance. The fact that she scores well on IQ tests suggests that her true abilities are not reflected in her grades.

When Sonya Was a Child, Her Teachers Told Her That