# Implicit Theories and Self-efficacy in an Introductory Programming Course

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1710.11559 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1710.11559/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 25 Oct 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Insights from Social Shaping Theory: The Appropriation of Large Language Models in an Undergraduate Programming Course](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.06451/) (2024)
- [Detecting Struggling Student Programmers using Proficiency Taxonomies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.17353/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Contribution: This study examined student effort and performance in an introductory programming course with respect to student-held implicit theories and self-efficacy. Background: Implicit theories and self-efficacy shed a light into understanding academic success, which must be considered when developing effective learning strategies for programming. Research Questions: Are implicit theories of intelligence and programming, and programming-efficacy related to each other and student success in programming? Is it possible to predict student course performance using a subset of these constructs? Methodology: Two consecutive surveys (N=100 and N=81) were administered to non-CS engineering students in Icsik University. Findings: Implicit theories and self-beliefs are interrelated and correlated with effort, performance, and previous failures in the course and students explain failure in programming course with "programming-aptitude is fixed" theory, and also that programming is a difficult task for themselves.