SPIEGEL: Studies show that not only intelligence is important at school and at work, but also personal characteristics. Those who are determined and conscientious will get ahead. This is actually not a surprising finding, is it?
Beatrice Rammstedt: Right. What is new is the extent to which character traits determine success. A study shows that it is much easier to predict which grade a student will get based on his character than on his intelligence or comprehension. This finding is groundbreaking. Socio-emotional skills are much more relevant than we previously thought.
SPIEGEL: What exactly does the term socio-emotional skills mean?
Rammstedt: We mean personal characteristics such as openness, determination and conscientiousness as well as values, beliefs and the ability to build and maintain relationships with other people. Socio-emotional skills are character traits. They are relatively stable, but can be changed.
SPIEGEL: So being really smart is of no use without the desired characteristics. But if you have no idea, you should fail.
Rammstedt: Ultimately, of course, both are important. But above all, specialist knowledge is imparted and evaluated in the entire education system. At least we always assume that. In reality, however, who gets which grades has only a small part to do with intelligence. It depends on the strength of the character.
SPIEGEL: What does strong character mean?
Rammstedt: How decisive students are, for example, is particularly important for grades. A math one not only stands for very good specialist knowledge, but also for personal characteristics such as striving for performance and ability to concentrate. It is also important how social someone behaves in the classroom.
SPIEGEL: Isn't it questionable if students are not judged for their performance, but for a teacher to judge their character?
Rammstedt: In other contexts, it has long been the norm that people's behavior is openly graded. It's not for nothing that we look at letters of reference, look for job references that assess behavior, and there are assessment centers that check personality.
SPIEGEL: Pupils and students can acquire specialist knowledge, but what about socio-emotional skills?
Rammstedt: We know that character traits can be changed. What we cannot say yet: How exactly and sustainably can these soft skills be trained? To do this, we need more research.
SPIEGEL: Isn't there resistance from parents, for example, if teachers want to or should change the character of children and young people?
Rammstedt: We have a vague concern among parents that they want to train some kind of ideal person. The idea that the educational system interferes with personality development is obviously uncomfortable for some. Only: Don't parents do exactly that by teaching their children to be careful, orderly or interested in a variety of things?
SPIEGEL: But there is a difference whether parents shape the character of their own children or if the state does this through its teachers.
Rammstedt: I think it is indirectly clear to parents that the school also conveys such character traits. It is obvious that school develops cultural interests, for example in music, or conveys structure, punctuality and orderliness.
SPIEGEL: What do you want to achieve?
Rammstedt: If you take the research results seriously, schools and universities, for example, would have to make a much clearer distinction between professional competence and character assessments in performance assessment. We would also need to train teachers to promote students' socio-emotional skills.
SPIEGEL: What would be the advantage?
Rammstedt: Conscientious schoolchildren don't just get better grades and later an apprenticeship or study place. As a rule, they also hold out on training, earn more money and pay higher taxes. There are also studies showing that conscientious people live healthier and longer. Don't we want that?
SPIEGEL: That would be advantages for the state. But what is the advantage of the individual, who is lazy, troubled and unadjusted, maybe even happy through life.
Rammstedt: It is not about educating all students towards a uniform, ideal personality, but about sensitizing them early on to their own strengths and weaknesses. They could be better supported, would learn how to structure or motivate them better. This improves their qualifications, they are better prepared for the job market and find a job more easily.
SPIEGEL: Are more or stronger socio-emotional skills basically a plus?
Rammstedt: More is not automatically better. For example, people who are very friendly and helpful towards others - basically a good quality - usually earn less.