Causal attributions and other achievement-related cognitions: Effects of task outcome, attainment value, and sex.

Abstract

In a study with 96 4th graders, some support was obtained for a naive analysis of causal attributions for success and failure which assumes that Ss interpret feedback in an essentially logical fashion. Success more than failure was attributed to effort. Attributions to luck and ability were largely a function of consistency of feedback. Biased use of available information, indicating either defensiveness or self-derogation, was also found and varied with attainment value and sex. Boys defensively attributed failure to luck; girls' ability attributions were self-derogatory. These sex differences helped account for boys' higher expectancies when feedback was limited or contradictory. Individual differences in attributions were related to individual differences in minimal standards of success, affective responses to feedback, and feelings about a forthcoming test. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)