Using 559 fifth graders, measures were collected to assess multiple dimensions of academic self-attribution, self-concept, and inferred self-concept, and academic achievement. The specificity and predictability of the observed patterns of relations support the construct validity of interpretations based on both the self-attribution and…

Children with language deficiencies in grades two through four received instruction in listening comprehension. One-half of the children in each grade verbalized explicit strategies prior to applying them to questions. Strategy self-verbalization led to high self-efficacy across grades and promoted performance among third and fourth graders.…

Study results showed that, while students (fifth graders, tenth graders, and college students) believe that teachers and they themselves show more appreciation of effort exertion than ability, they would like to be perceived more as having ability than exerting effort. (Author/RM)

A study focused on whether self-care instruction in health education can affect locus of control in fifth-grade students. Individual responsibility for self-care was encouraged. Results indicate that the instruction did increase the extent to which the children viewed health as the result of their own actions. (Author/PP)

Two models of the factors leading to organizational commitment are compared: the member-based model, which holds that commitment originates in the actions and personal attributes of the organizational member, and the organization-based model, which is based on the premise that commitment reflects a member's reciprocation for the organization's…

Discussed whether similarity affects the relationship between comparison and other-evaluation. Subjects read about an emergency, estimated their reaction, and evaluated a target who failed to help. Results showed increasing discrepancy between self and other's reactions led to more negative evaluations if self and target were the same sex.…

Studies in self-management, attribution, and achievement motivation challenge the view that basic skills instruction requires strong teacher control, structure, convergence on learning activities, less pupil freedom, and less experimental teaching activities. Student-managed instruction yielded the greatest achievement gains and heightened…

Cross-age tutors and tutees (n=122 children) felt that tutorial learning was most dependent on effort rather than ability factors and attributed positive learning consequences to their tutoring partner, but negative learning consequences to themselves. (Author/RL)

Age-dependent differences in the relationship between physical attractiveness and the social perceptions of acquainted classmates were investigated in children (n=160) 3-10 years of age. (Author/MP)

Reviews the effects of source credibility and other variables in the communication process, showing how they work in cognitive response and attribution theories. Develops and posits a theoretical position that links the two types of theories. (RL)

Fifth- through twelfth-grade students completed a causal attribution questionnaire and were asked to choose one of three games to play. Students who attributed their own success on achievement tasks to ability, effort, or luck were more likely to prefer to perform tasks that were compatible with such beliefs. (Author/RD)

This study examined the development of causal expressions in children's discourse from two to three years of age. Linguistic, contextual, and pragmatic influences on language development were the major factors considered. (CM)

Relates findings from a review of the literature on six academic motivational constructs studied in traditional environments to online education concepts. Examines self-efficacy, locus of control, attributions, goal orientation, intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, and self-regulation to identify methods for ensuring student success in online…

This 3-wave longitudinal study spanning 12 months examined the process by which emotional distress contributes to competence estimation in 9- to 13-year-olds. Findings indicated that emotional distress predicted negative beliefs about the self and the world over time; these beliefs in turn predicted decrements in competence estimation over time.…

Gifted students' perceptions of an internal or external locus of control (LOC) and the effect on their behavior is discussed. Research is reviewed that shows that gifted students who are proficient academically or in other areas believe they have an internal locus of control, while underachieving gifted students perceive an external LOC. (CR)