The Role of Students’ Attentiveness and Teachers’ Preferences for Students in Explaining Relations Between Social Behavior and Academic Achievement

Abstract

: The present study examined the role of students’ attentiveness
and teachers’ preferences for students as mediators of the effects of
sociability and disrespect (both of which are social behavior) on academic
achievement. Data pertaining to the above variables were obtained from
randomly selected 120 students in Meseret elementary school (in Gondar
town). Indices of social behavior, attentiveness, teachers’ preferences and
academic achievement were measured. Analysis involving mainly multiple
regression suggested that both types of social behavior did not
independently (directly) contribute to variation in academic achievement.
However, both types of social behavior appeared to have an effect on
academic achievement indirectly via their significant relations with students’
attentiveness (academically oriented behavior). The estimated path model
confirmed that the effects of sociability and disrespect assumed strength as
they operated indirectly through students’ attentiveness. The importance of
the results particularly in relation to the mediating role of academically
oriented behavior (attentiveness) in determining the social behavior and the
kinds of social behavior (condition) that help to promote classroom learning
are discussed.