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Cross-Situation Variability of Attributions for Success and Failure

A Cross-Sectional Study

Donald T. Mizokawa

University of Washington

Although attributional research has attempted to explore general rules for causal beliefs, cross-situational variation has been ignored Because attributions can be argued to be related to self-concept, the findings of self-concept influences across academic contexts and age also may be replicated in parallel studies of attributional beliefs. This study compared cohorts on their attributions for success and failure in two school-subject content areas: math/science and language arts/social studies. The 1,829 White-students in Grades 4 through 11 took the Survey of Achievement Responsibility. Overall, older students evinced greater differentiation between content and outcome for effort and ability attributions than did youngerstudents. Thefindings supportedpredictions derived from self-concept research. Also, the attributions for math became increasingly negative across age cohorts, whereas those for language arts became more positive. A perceived hierarchy of ability, wherein math and language abilities do not enjoy the same status, may explain the content differences.

Journal of Adolescent Research, Vol. 6, No. 2, 197-211 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/074355489162004


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