Motivation: attribution theory

Question 1

What is attribution theory?

Answer 1

how people explain the causes of their own success and failure

it is the perception of why you are successful/not that motivated you

Question 2

What are the 3 characteristics of attribution theory?

Answer 2

Controlability
Locus
Stability

Question 3

What is controlability?

Answer 3

the extent to which the individual has influence
controllable = put in effort to achieve
uncontrollable = nothing to influence, random chance of success

Question 4

What is Locus?

Answer 4

Internal or external

western society act to increase self-esteem (internal) so will attribute failure to external factors

attributing failure to internal may decrease self-esteem

Question 5

What is Stability?

Answer 5

Stable - outcome likely to be the same next time
Unstable - outcome likely to be different next time (effort)
better to attribute success/failure to unstable causes (effort) as will help motivate

Question 6

Implications for education

Answer 6

Praise students for effort (unstable and controllable) instead of intelligence (stable and uncontrollable)

students must understand that what happens to them is a result of what they do not something uncontrollable

Question 7

What is learned helplessness?

Answer 7

perception that no matter what one does one is doomed to fail

Question 8

How to help learned helplessness?

Answer 8

opportunities for success in small steps
goal restructuring
self-esteem programmes
immediate, consistent, positive feedback