This study tested the prediction that a satiation effect would be observed only for noncontingent social stimuli, and not for groups presented with contingent stimuli. (Author/SB)

Male and female students from grades 1, 3, 6, 8, and college watched a videotaped scene of a young female actress breaking a chair. Subjects were then asked to make attributions of causality and "naughtiness" to the chair breaker. Results were consistent with predictions based on Heider's theory of social attribution. (Author/JMB)

Attribution theory holds that perceived arousal may cause a person to draw an inference about his emotions and base his subsequent behavior on that inference. Recent research suggests, however, that this account does not entirely explain the influence of false arousal feedback on simultaneously occurring avoidance behavior. Proposes a behavior…

Evidence from four studies demonstrates that social observers tend to perceive a "false consensus" with respect to the relative commonness of their own responses. Implications of these findings for our understanding of social perception phenomena and for the analysis of the divergent perceptions of actors and observers are discussed. (Editor/RK)

Three hypotheses on children's social attributions were tested using children from elementary grades as subjects. The results indicated that children attributed their positive outcomes more to ability, effort, and luck than they did their negative outcomes. This effect did not depend on the person to whom they made attributions. (Author/LMO)

In a secondary analysis of citizenship acquisition among legal Mexican immigrants many individual characteristics which were significant in previous studies did not correlate with an interest in naturalization. Positive correlations were found in these areas: (1) roots in the United States; (2) residential patterns; and (3) barriers and attitudes…

Discusses adaptive cognitive changes in adulthood from perspectives of adult cognitive development and social cognition theory. Proposes interface between the two disciplines. Applies post-formal literature on cognitive development to area of attributional processes. Discusses implications changes in attributional processes may have for cognitive…

Self-concept and attributions made about academic successes and failures were compared in 46 students with learning disabilities and 47 normally achieving students (mean age 12 years). Attributions regarding internal versus external causes for successes and failures and stable (ability) versus unstable (effort) causes for failures did not…

A survey of faculty, students, and staff at a large southern university identified sex differences in definitions of harassment, in attitudes toward causes, and in attitudes toward university policy. Sex differences reflect respondent's own self-interests within the university and the organizational environment. (KH)

Reports on two treatment studies of special education students markedly helpless with regard to arithmetic: one comparing attribution retraining treatment to control treatment matched to it in schedule of successes and failures; the other comparing effects of three success-failure schedules on attributions and persistence. (Author/NRB)

Investigated effects of clients' initial self-presentations on counselors' impressions. Clients expressing personal attributions were viewed as more motivated and attractive than clients making situational attributions. When the reason for seeking help was intrinsic, subjects perceived clients to be more motivated and as having a better prognosis…

The author reviews the literature on attribution theory and extrinsic and intrinsic rewards, and describes how teacher educators can work with prospective teachers to facilitate improved classroom conditions to motivate student teachers and, in turn, students. (MT)

Administered items from three locus of control (LOC) tests and the Beck Hopelessness Scale to 197 undergraduates. Factor analyses produced multiple factors for each LOC test; Beck proved to be unidimensional. Each LOC test contained salient dimension describing belief in luck, chance, or fate. Other common themes were internal control and…

Ninety managers interacted with low performing workers who demonstrated either insufficient ability or motivation. Results indicated that cooperative superiors expected mutual assistance, communicated supportively, and gave assistance. Superiors used threats and disliked low effort subordinates but wanted to work again with low ability…

The interrelationships among motivational variables drawn from locus of control (LOC) theory and attribution theory, combined with measures of school achievement were measures of school achievement were investigated. Motivational instruments were administered to intermediate grade students and achievement data were extracted from existing school…