This article demonstrates how to improve students' learning motivation by means of an attributional dialogue between teachers and students. Students are asked to describe events and to explain to what they attributed success or failure. Dialogue pages of a typically achieving learner and a student with learning disabilities are provided. (Contains…

Describes study conducted at the University of Toronto that assessed the attitudes of student teachers toward computers by using a multicomponent model, the Computer Attitude Measure (CAM). Cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitudes are examined, and correlations of computer literacy, experience, and internal locus of control are discussed.…

Two studies of nursery school children examined the relationship between friendships and sociometric judgments of social status. (Author/BB)

Describes results of providing a brief Male Responsibility Training Program to 21 urban, delinquent African American males (ages 15-18). Reports on changes in locus of control and self-esteem, sexual responsibility and safe sex behavior, and attitudes and emotional reactions toward condom use. Primary recommendation is for more systematic…

Identifies predictors of symptomatic distress in emergency services personnel exposed to traumatic critical instances. Evaluated predictors included exposure, social support, and psychological traits. Replicated analyses showed that levels of symptomatic distress were positively related to the degree of exposure to the critical incident. Level of…

This paper investigated the relationship between (1) perceived responsibility for intellectual achievement, and (2) objective tests measuring convergent and divergent thinking and subjective teacher ratings and classmates' nominations, in 1,033 gifted children (age 9). The results indicate that internal control is a mediating variable in the…

The question of whether special education students exhibit more learned helpless behavior and a more external locus of control than regular students is examined. The effects of these psychological conditions on school success are considered, and programs for alleviating learned helplessness and establishing a more internal locus of control are…

Computed separate meta-analyses for 11 acculturation and adjustment classes: extroversion, self-esteem, locus of control, career, addiction, affective disorders, field independence, family conflict, anxiety/stress, intelligence, and psychosocial/health. Situation-specific associations were interpreted by integrating several models. Contains…

Examined impact of caregiving among 110 caregivers to aging family member with Alzheimer's disease. Family caregivers' appraisals along dimensions of subjective burden, negative impact, caregiving satisfaction, and caregiver mastery were correlated with extent of memory and behavior problems of patient and caregivers' coping style, locus of…

High school physical education students completed questionnaires which represented four psychological variables, and one physical activity variable (exercise adherence) in classroom setting (n=132) and in summer setting (n=110). Found Perceived Romantic Appeal predictive of male exercise adherence and Perceived Athletic Competency, Perceived…

Differences between Teachers of the Year and inservice teachers and the effect of teachers' gender, years of teaching, grade level taught, and highest degree earned were evaluated using the Teacher Belief Questionnaire. Results indicated that Teachers of the Year were significantly more humanistic in their student control beliefs than were matched…

Stresses need for model of career decision making that recognizes both normative and chance influences. Discusses role of chance on adult development, ways in which people attempt to understand impact of chance events, and influence of personal characteristics on coping with chance. Summarizes meaning of chance, effects on client decision making,…

Presents four studies using a criterion measure of political activity to compare overall (locus of control), political, and situation-specific believed efficacy. Reports that the more situation specific the feelings of efficacy, the greater the predictability of political behavior. Concludes that even situation-specific efficacy did not predict…

This study, involving 24 Israeli mothers of children (average age 3.3) with severe mental retardation, found that the mothers' locus of control and perception of social support (belonging, appraisal, tangible support, and self-esteem) serve as buffers against parental pessimism concerning their severely handicapped children. (JDD)

Summarizes a study comparing U.S., Philippine, and Turkish students for relation of depression and suicidal thoughts to an external locus of control. Concludes that higher external locus of control scores were positively though weakly associated with depression and history of suicidal preoccupation among all subjects. (DK)