A temporal theory of motivation is proposed in which causes, causal dimensions, psychological consequences (expectancy and affect), and behavioral outcomes play a role in the dynamics of action. The discussion of methodological errors in attribution research that follows examines shortcomings at each of these conceptual stages in the motivational…

Measured selected health-related effects of association with companion-animals on humans. The sample consisted of predominantly elderly veterans (N=56), who did or did not live with pets, that comprised the census of a home care program. No significant differences were observed. (Author/JAC)

Investigated sex differences on the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale using factor analysis of student scores (N=194). Three factors emerged for females and five for males. Comparison with other studies shows item consistency on the first two factors which were the same for both sexes. (Author/JAC)

Identified wives (N=56) of hemodialysis patients at risk for problems adapting to their husband's illness, and explored personality variables that might enhance coping. Results showed greater external locus of control was related to poorer adjustment, but greater internal locus of control was not related to better adjustment. (Author/JAC)

A study of 35 learning disabled adolescents (LDA) is presented. The effects of continuing school failure on self-esteem, success and failure attribution, and the rationalization process for these failures by the learning disabled adolescent are discussed. (Author/TLJ)

The effects of a specific self-monitoring technique (charting) on promoting changes in the locus of control (LOC) orientation of educable mentally retarded children (n=91) were investigated. The relationship between LOC orientation and the children's chronological age was also investigated. (Author?PN)

The relationship between an affective teacher characteristic (a component of achievement motivation called success orientation) and changes in two affective outcomes of pupils (attitude toward learning and perceived personal control of one's own academic success and failure) was investigated. (Author/PN)

The present study compared the factor structures obtained when the same data were factor analyzed: (1) for the total sample (463 fifth grade students) and by sex for collapsed concepts, and (2) by individual concept for the total sample by sex, and for internal and external locus of control groups. (Author/PN)

Using actual student referral records, researchers investigated: (1) why teachers referred students for psychoeducational evaluation; (2) causes to which they attributed students' difficulties; and (3) whether causes were related to reasons for referral. Teachers attributed 97 percent of the students' difficulties to factors outside the school.…

Second and third graders' competence to integrate knowledge of their ability and effort, as they would function in the child's success on a reading task, was examined in terms of the constraints of the stages of the Genevan operativity model. (Author/PN)

Caution should be exercised in transporting the concept of locus of control to either Mexico or Japan, and by implication, to other cultures. Careful attention must be given both to the meaning of this concept in the other cultures, and to the behaviors predictable from its measurement within each culture. (Author/NQA)

Tests the relationship between locus of control and drug abuse and the influence of test instructions and social desirability. Results of research with incarcerated offenders indicated test instructions aimed at heightening social desirability artificially inflated locus of control scores. Found no significant differences between drug abusers and…

Tested and extended Deaux's expectancy model of sex-linked differences in attribution for success. Finding's indicated that female occupational subjects, relative to males, tended to attribute success more to unstable causes of effort and luck. Male subjects attributed success more to the stable causes of ability and task ease. (Author/RC)

Internal locus of control and higher life satisfaction appear to be significantly associated. This association remained stable and significant when controlling on the effects of self-rated health and income, suggesting that internal control is related to life satisfaction independent of health level or monetary resources. (Author)

Surveys 33 developmental studies using 12 different locus of control scales in the effort to learn how perceived internal control changes with age. A few studies show developmental declines in perceived control, about half show consistent developmental increases, and about half show mixed results or no significant developmental differences.…