Reports on a study designed to assess whether attributions or causality of success and failure would vary as a function of sex role attitudes. Indicates that sex-typed notions about competence may still be deeply ingrained despite recent social changes. (Author/MK)

Reviews the status of research on sex differences in causal attribution for success and failure. Suggests that the literature on sex differences in attributions is characterized by inconsistencies and has not yet fulfilled its promise as the key to understanding differential achievement in men and women. (Author/GC)

To test the hypothesis that women exhibit an externality bias in their performance attribution, male and female college students made effort, ability, luck, and task difficulty attributions for their performance on a recent course examination. Findings suggested an internality bias among men, rather than an externality bias among women. (Author/GC)

College subjects undertook nine cognitive tasks with different perceived sex linkages, stating their expectancy of success before performance and attributing causality for their perceived performance after each task. Results indicated that (1) females hold lower expectancies of success than males and (2) perceived sex linkage of the task also…

In two experiments, subjects made attributions after reading a description of a rape. Responsibility was more strongly attributed to the victim's character for unrespectable victims, and to chance for respectable victims. Males blamed the victim's character more than females; females emphasized the role of chance more than males. (Author/GC)

Investigates the effect of competition on attributions for performance on male (intellectual and spatial) or female (social and design) tasks. Contrary to predictions, males rated themselves as luckier than females in competitive conditions. However, as predicted, females made fewer self-serving attributions for the male than the female task.…

In two experiments, third, fifth, and eleventh graders attributed success to effort more frequently on a "sex inappropriate" task than on a "sex appropriate" task. Overriding sex-of-actor biases emerged in explanations for failures, suggesting that failures were treated as anticipated outcomes for females. (Author/MJL)

Examined (1) whether sex differences in achievement patterns are recalled by subjects who were personally involved; (2) whether women and men rely on different causal factors to explain their success or failure; and (3) if the achievement pattern influences causal attributions for success or failure. (Author/GC)

Examined the influence of victim dress, perceiver gender, situational relevance, and personal relevance on attributions of responsibility for date rape by 632 college students. Attributions of responsibility were significantly influenced by perceiver gender and victim dress. Discusses implications for attribution theory and practical implications,…

Examined gender differences in the consistency of attributions over time, general attributional style, and explanations for performance in a college course. Student surveys showed no differences in general attributional style by gender, nor interactions between gender and accuracy in predicting course performance on participants' perceptions of…

Two studies demonstrate that factors known to influence the attribution of negative intentionality play an important role in judgments of sexual harassment. Discussion examines how people differ in their judgments of sexual harassment. (FMW)

In one study, male college students showed higher grade expectations than females, and grades were attributed more often to ability by males and to effort by females. In a second study, both sexes considered effort a more significant determinant of grades. Sex role orientation influenced academic expectations, attribution, and performance.…

Examined high school students' perceptions of behavioral deviations from sex roles. Reports that perceptions varied depending on whether subjects were making attributions toward a member of their own sex or the opposite sex. (ST)

Over 300 students assessed their causal attributions and expectations for success and failure in mathematics, and their self concepts of math ability. Results varied, depending on research method employed, but did not when taken together support the hypothesis that girls are more learned helpless in mathematics than are boys. (Author/GC)

Explores the relationships between gender, sex typing, and attributional patterns in exam performance in a college classroom. Uses an attributional pretest and posttest and the Bem Sex Role Inventory with a sample of 85 male and 52 female students. Finds that gender and sex typing both affect attributions, but in different ways. (FMW)