The motivational effects of failure were investigated. Students worked perceptual judgment problems, receiving varying levels of failure feedback on their work on unsolvable problems. Subjects assessed their success or failure at the task. Those who believed they had failed scored higher on a subsequent set of similar, but solvable, problems.…

Results from an experimental study involving 120 third, seventh, and eleventh grade parochial school girls showed that for third-grade females, short-term failure experiences are relatively transitory; however for females around the age of adolescence, helplessness and egotism appear to undertake a significant role in influencing behavior. (IAH)

Fifth-grade boys of relatively good, average, and poor reading ability were assessed on tasks in which success and failure were manipulated. Consistent with predictions, poor readers displayed characteristics indicative of learned helplessness and low self-concepts of ability, including low expectations and less persistence. (Instructional…

A study involving 697 male and 765 female ninth and twelfth graders was undertaken to assess learned helplessness in attribution patterns associated with personal failure. Although significant gender differences were identified, little evidence was obtained supporting the learned helplessness model for adolescent female achievement motivation.…

Bernard Weiner and other motivation researchers have explored what happens to students when they try to explain why they succeed or fail. Causal attributions directly affect motivation and make the difference between helpless and mastery-oriented students. Suggestions are offered to educators to help change the attributions of helpless students…

Because intermediate grade students were not working up to their potential, a coordinator of elementary school instruction implemented a practicum to increase students' motivation. In-service meetings were held with six intermediate grade teachers from each of two schools for the purpose of planning techniques and devising activities for…

Presents a case study illustrating learned helplessness orientation in preschool children and how adult responses to a child's successes and failures directly influence a child's perception of his or her abilities. Suggests that teachers should compliment successes by highlighting the ability demonstrated and address failures with comments…