Soft skills in higher education: Importance and improvement ratings as a function of individual differences and academic performance

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic*, Adriane Arteche, Andrew J. Bremner, Corina Greven, Adrian Furnham

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Three UK studies on the relationship between a purpose-built instrument to assess the importance and development of 15 'soft skills' are reported. Study 1 (N = 444) identified strong latent components underlying these soft skills, such that differences between-skills were over-shadowed by differences between-students. Importance and improving ratings on these skills predicted academic performance and accounted for the effects of personality on academic performance. Study 2 replicated the structure of the soft skills inventory and associations with academic performance in a larger sample (N = 1309). Examination of mean differences across faculties (humanities, life sciences, hard sciences) revealed higher soft skills ratings in 'softer' courses. Study 3 (N = 87) incorporated an IQ measure, which was found to be negatively related to importance ratings on soft skills. Results highlight the cohesive structure of beliefs concerning various non-academic skills and their significant links to educationally relevant individual differences. Theoretical, methodological and applied implications are considered.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)221-241
Number of pages21
JournalEducational Psychology
Volume30
Issue number2
Early online date22 Feb 2010
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2010

Keywords

  • Academic performance
  • Generic skills
  • Personality
  • Soft skills
  • Transferrable skills

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Education
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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