This paper looks at current research into how thinking influences learning. How people explain to themselves "why" they fail and succeed inevitably impacts on how well they learn new skills. Researchers have been developing attribution retraining programmes targeted at improving student academic achievement and learning experience…

Examined the role of attributions in initial and long-term smoking behavior change. Manipulated the externality of treatment. Subjects receiving nicotine gum were superior to the intrinsic self-help group in initial cessation but were inferior in maintaining abstinence. Subjects in the intrinsic self-help group made fewer external attributions for…

Results indicated that effectiveness of attribution therapy depended on the timing of the intervention and the locus of control orientation of the participant. Internals evidenced greater self-acceptance when intervention occurred prior to negative evaluation. Externals' ratings of self-evaluation were not influenced. (Author/BEF)