The Influence of Personality Factors on Student Performance in Biological Sciences in Kenya: the Case of Secondary Schools in Rachuonyo North Sub County, Homabay County

Abstract

This study seeks to investigate the influence of the student personality factors on performance in the biological sciences. The following research objectives guided the study: influence of conscientiousness in biological performance in secondary schools, the influence of intellect of students on their performance in biological sciences, influence of character of the student on the performance in biological sciences, the influence of motivation on the student performance in biological sciences and the influence of student openness on the performance in biological sciences. The research was conducted in Rachuonyo North Sub- County with a target population of fifteen schools out of fifty secondary schools. A descriptive survey research design was used where students were obtained by stratified simple random sampling technique while biology teachers were obtained using purposive sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaires and oral interviews. Pearson’s correlation statistics was used to analyze data. Findings revealed that there is a great positive influence of openness, conscientiousness, motivation and intelligence on students’ performance in biological sciences. This then led to the conclusion that open students outperform their counterparts whose extent of openness is minimal. Students of high intellectual capability performed higher than those of low intellectual power in biological sciences. Students who are highly motivated give better results in biological sciences than those less motivated. The above outcome led to the recommendations as the need to reshape students’ characters to suppress bad traits by all stakeholders. Parents and teachers to instill discipline in students at all times, encourage learners to be open and free to express ideas and issues, promotion of reward at all times to improve aspect of motivation in learners and further research to be done on the influence of intelligence on the three domains of learning at large.