Attempts to assess whether social learning or attributional theory best accounts for expectancies of future success in college students (N=159) with a modification of a task used by Weiner and Kukla (1970). Results indicated partial support for elements of both the social learning and attribution theories. (LLL)

Studies the effects of childhood achievement experiences as they might determine generalized internal-external control orientations (I-E). Analysis of I-E items revealed that those who performed poorly were most likely to attribute achievement experiences to luck. (Author)

Two experiments investigated the relationship between the magnitude of motivation for control over the environment and tendency to derogate victims. Manipulated situational controllability and uncontrollability within a learned helplessness procedure and assessed derogation of a victimized stranger. Results indicated that motivation and need for…

The proposition that actors favor environmental attribution and observers personal attribution was investigated. Psychology students attributed causality from two perspectives for verbally-described behaviors. It was concluded that motivational considerations mediated actor-observer differences and that perspective differences represent a…

Two laboratory studies examined self- and socially caused behavior. Found that subjects who preferred socially caused behavior were more likely to choose spontaneous interactions with strangers (Study 1) and were more accurate in assessing their own influence over behavior of others in self-disclosure task (Study 2) than were those who preferred…