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)

How certain ability-related academic self-perceptions are organized in the self-systems of fifth graders was studied with 190 children who completed questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis indicates that children differentiate their ability-related perceptions in ways that current models of academic self-perceptions cannot account for fully.…

The purpose of this study was to examine children's cognitive-attributional and affective response patterns within competitive and individualistic goal structures. Findings showed that effort attributions covaried with outcome in the individualistic structure, whereas luck and outcome covaried in the competitive structure. (Author/GK)

This study examines developmental differences in the use of praise and blame as attributional cues among children ages 4 to 12. It was found that the oldest children inferred lower ability given praise and the absence of blame, while the youngest children, with higher ability inferred given praise, and lower ability given blame. (Author/JAZ)

Five studies were conducted to determine if college students employ different conceptions of ability in self-referenced (task-involving) and interpersonally competitive (ego-involving) situations. Competence and positive affects were associated with higher effort in task-involving situations but negatively associated with higher effort in…

Progress, or lack thereof, in the development of ability testing is reviewed. Current tests, though inadequate, respond to the demands of test consumers. Test publishers must look ahead to changing demands and begin to lead the market, rather than follow it, by drawing on basic research in testing. (SLD)

Beliefs about causes of success in school and sports were related in a logical fashion to personal goals for 207 high school students. Satisfaction and boredom in the classroom were primarily predicted by personal goal orientations. In sports, satisfaction and boredom were more intimately linked to perceptions of ability. (SLD)

The classroom learning environment is examined in relation to achievement goal theory of motivation. A perspective is presented that argues for identification and analysis of classroom structures that can contribute to a mastery orientation. With such an orientation, the focus will be on effort rather than ability. (SLD)