Attribution theory Flashcards
What is ‘attribution theory’?
The process of giving reasons for behaviour and ascribing causes for events
What are the four attributions of Weiner’s model?
Ability
Effort
Task difficulty
Luck
What are the two dimensions that attributions are arranged in?
Locus of causality and stability
Draw Weiner’s model
(Folder)
What do high achievers attribute success and failure to?
Success = internal factors
Failure = external factors
What do low achievers attribute success and failure to?
Success = external factors Failure = internal factors
What is the self-serving bias?
Attributing failure to external and uncontrollable factors to avoid damaging confidence this tends to be adopted most by high achievers
What is learned helplessness?
Repeated failures or disappointments often lead to the belief that failure is inevitable
Describe both types of learned helplessness
Specific: a person attributes difficulty to internal, stable factors to one situation or sport
General: a person attributed difficulty to internal, stable factors in all or many sports
Define attribution retraining
To change a person’s tendency to ascribe reasons for failure
When going through attribution retraining, what attributions are challenged/ changed?
Attribution: lack of ability -> poor weather
Negative emotion: shame -> disappointment
Behaviours: helplessness/ avoidance -> persistence
What attributions should be enforced to raise self-efficacy?
Success = stable, internal factors
Failure = unstable, external factors
What is achievement motivation?
Competitiveness and aims to achieve
What is Weiner’s possible third dimension?
Control, this is important in attribution retraining
What is mastery orientation
The strong motive to succeed found in a high achiever who persists after failure
What is cognitive dissonance?
An emotional conflict that can change an attitude
Define attribution bias
Refers to the performer’s belief that the separate attributions given for success and failure never change which may be due to state of mind rather than the true reasons for the outcome
How can mastery orientation be promoted?
- Training programme to improve self-esteem and modify negative characteristics of type A
- positive experiences and role models with rewards and reinforcement
- verbal persuasion and cognitive dissonance
- controllable effort will change ego orientation into task orientation
What do internal attributions given for success help to do?
- endorse mastery orientation
- elevate confidence
- develop pride
- increase expectation of future success
What do external factors given for failure help to do?
- encourage pursuit of mastery orientation
- sustain confidence
- eliminate shame
- improve expectation of future success
What do external factors for success take away?
- pride associated with success
* incentive value derived from mastery orientation
What do internal attributions given for failure take away?
- confidence by highlighting ability incompetence
* mastery orientation leading to learned helplessness
