Attributions Flashcards
Inferring Meaning from Behavior
We interpret behavior to make sense of the world.
Helps us understand both others and ourselves.
Evaluation of inferences in Social Interactions
Is a doctor meeting professional expectations?
Are students learning effectively?
Do athletes perform as anticipated?
Are we meeting our own expectations?
inferencing: Active Observers, Not Passive:
We seek patterns in behavior to explain what we see.
Use prior knowledge to make sense of new experiences.
Examples of Attribution
“That person is tall; they must play basketball.”
“That person is overweight; they must be lazy.”
Caution:Personal traits aren’t always accurate indicators of behavior.
Purpose of Inference:
To understand behavior.
To predict actions.
To feel control over our social world
Impact of Attributions:
Shape future actions and decisions.
Guide expectations for ourselves and others.
Influence behavior and problem-solving.
What is Attribution?
A process of perceiving or inferring the cause of events or behaviors.
Attribution is aninference process.
Impact of Attribution:
Persistent failure in learning a skill can lead to a belief that:
Abilities can’t changeor be controlled.
This belief affects motivation and effort
How can understanding an athlete’s attributions help improve their motivation?
a) By determining their physical capabilities.
b) By revealing their motivational structure and adjusting their perceptions of success and failure.
c) By identifying their favorite sports and activities.
d) By helping them focus solely on external factors influencing performance.
b)
Questions Raised by Attribution:
“If I can’t change, why persist?”
“Should I try something else or stop trying altogether?”
What is Attribution Theory?
A cognitive approach to explaining motivation.
Focuses on how people explain, understand, and predict events through their perceptions.
Attribution and Motivation:
Strongly interconnected theories.
Importance of Attributions in Sport:
Understanding an athlete’s attributions reveals theirmotivational structure.
Helping athletes adjust their perceptions can boost their motivation.
Attribution theory is primarily concerned with:
a) Understanding how motivation changes over time.
b) Explaining how people perceive and infer the causes of behavior and events.
c) Examining the role of emotions in athletic performance.
d) Measuring physical performance in sports.
b)
The Attributional Model
Key Dimensions of Attribution:
Stability:Stable vs. Unstable factors.
Locus of Control:Internal vs. External factors.
Examples of Stability:
Unstable Factors:Luck, effort, officiating.
Stable Factors:Ability, task difficulty.
Impact of Past Experience:
Expected outcomes → Stable attributions.
Unexpected outcomes → Unstable attributions.
According to the attributional model, an athlete who attributes their success to their innate skill is focusing on which combination of dimensions?
a) Stable and Internal.
b) Stable and External.
c) Unstable and Internal.
d) Unstable and External.
a)
What is Locus of Control (LOC)?
Psychological construct explaining beliefs about control over events.
Also referred to asLocus of Causality.
Internal Control:
Belief that actions areself-determined.
Outcomes are attributed to personal characteristics:
Intelligence
Persistence
Wisdom
External Control
Belief that outcomes are influenced byexternal factors:
Luck
Chance
Fate
Influence of others
Why Internal LOC is Preferred in Sports:
Encourages a sense of control over destiny.
Promotes accountability and motivation.
Accepting credit for success is psychologically healthier than attributing it to luck or external forces.
Balance in Attributions:
Always giving internal attributions isnot ideal.
Accept responsibility for failureswhen appropriate, but avoid believing failure is inevitable.
Key Takeaway: Internal vs External LOC in Sport
View failures as opportunities for growth, not permanent limitations.
Which of the following best describes someone with an external locus of control?
a) They believe their success is due to their hard work and persistence.
b) They attribute their failure to a lack of personal ability.
c) They believe their outcomes are determined by luck, fate, or other external factors.
d) They view their achievements as a result of their intelligence and preparation.
c)
Key Attribution Factors:
Ability:Stable, internal factor.
Effort:Unstable, internal factor.
Task Difficulty:Stable, external factor.
Luck:Unstable, external factor.
Key Attribution Factors: Examples in Sport:
Ability → Skill level remains consistent.
Effort → Varies game to game.
Task Difficulty → Opponent’s skill.
Luck → Random external events.
Key Attribution Factors: Key Insight:
People usually attribute success or failure to one of these four factors.
Connection Between Attribution and Emotion:
Attributions influence emotional responses to outcomes.
Internal attributions→ Greater emotional impact.
Emotional Responses to Success:
Internal Causes:Pride, confidence, satisfaction.
External Causes:Gratitude, thankfulness.
Emotional Responses to Failure:
Internal Causes:Guilt, shame, incompetence.
External Causes:Anger, surprise, astonishment
Key Examples of attribution and emotion:
Internal Failure:Goalie blames self → Feels guilty.
External Failure:Tennis player blames judge → Feels anger.
What is Learned Helplessness (LH)?
A maladaptive state characterized by:
Avoidance of challenges.
Low persistence in the face of obstacles.
Feelings of low ability, pride, and satisfaction.
Impact of LH:
Lowered motivation.
Cognitive limitations.
Increased risk of depression.
Key Attributions That Maximize LH:
Internal (ability or effort).
Stable (unchanging factors).
General (applies across situations).
Uncontrollable (perceived lack of control).
Common Traits of Helpless Individuals:
Avoid risks and challenges.
Attribute failure to lack of ability.
Feel that effort won’t change outcomes.
View failure as uncontrollable.
Attribute success to luck or low task difficulty.
LH is learnedfrom:
prolonged negative experiences.
Which of the following attributions is most likely to maximize learned helplessness?
a) Failure attributed to bad luck in one specific game.
b) Failure attributed to lack of effort in a recent performance.
c) Failure attributed to a stable and uncontrollable lack of ability.
d) Failure attributed to a challenging but temporary task difficulty.
c)
What is a Self-Serving Attributional Bias?
Egocentrism:People are not always logical in causal attributions.
Ego-Enhancing Strategy:Success attributed to internal causes.
Ego-Protecting Strategy:Failure attributed to external causes.
Self-Serving Attributional Bias: Evidence in Literature:
Strong evidence forego-enhancing strategiesunder success conditions.
Minimal evidence forego-protective strategiesunder failure conditions.
Self-Serving Attributional Bias: Modified Definition in Athletes:
Internal attributions for both success (enhance ego) and failure (avoid making excuses).
Self-Serving Attributional Bias: Situational Factors Influencing Bias:
Memory.
Decisiveness of outcome.
Team vs. individual outcomes.
Objective success or failure conditions
IMPORTANT INFO FOR ATTRIBUTION UNIT
Key Takeaways:
Attribution Theory:Explains how individuals perceive the causes of success and failure.
Locus of Control:Internal vs. external attributions shape motivation and emotional responses.
Learned Helplessness:Negative attributions can lead to a harmful mental state.
Self-Serving Biases:Athletes often use ego-enhancing strategies for success and nuanced strategies for failure.
Why Attributions Matter:
Influence motivation, confidence, and persistence.
Shape emotional responses to outcomes.
Guide coaching strategies to promote growth and resilience.
Final Thought:
By understanding attributions, we can better support athletes in developing a healthy mindset, improving performance, and navigating challenges.
