An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion.

Abstract

A theory of motivation and emotion is proposed in which causal ascriptions play a key role. It is first documented that in achievement-related contexts there are a few dominant causal perceptions. The perceived causes of success and failure share three common properties: locus, stability, and controllability, with intentionality and globality as other possible causal structures. The perceived stability of causes influences changes in expectancy of success; all three dimensions of causality affect a variety of common emotional experiences, including anger, gratitude, guilt, hopelessness, pity, pride, and shame. Expectancy and affect, in turn, are presumed to guide motivated behavior. The theory therefore relates the structure of thinking to the dynamics of feeling and action. Analysis of a created motivational episode involving achievement strivings is offered, and numerous empirical observations are examined from this theoretical position. The strength of the empirical evidence, the capability of this theory to address prevalent human emotions, and the potential generality of the conception are stressed. In 1645, Miyomota Musashi was contemplating the causes of his past success as a warrior. In A Book of Five Rings he mused, When I reached thirty I looked back on my past. The previous victories were not due to my having mastered strategy. Perhaps it was natural ability, or the order of heaven, or that other schools' strategy was inferior. (1645/1974, p. 35) Timber industry experts blame high interest rates, the housing slump, tough logging regulation, and expansion

Social‐cognitive correlates of adjustment to prostate cancer

“…Exceptions to this are studies finding no relation between searching for meaning and adjustment (Gotay, 1985;Taylor et al, 1984). Theoretically (Michela and Wood, 1986;Silver et al, 1983;Weiner, 1985), searching for meaning could be associated with better adjustment if, for example, it enabled individuals to find meaning, or to identify benefits or positive outcomes associated with their cancer, such as closer relationships with others, a spiritual reawakening, or a greater appreciation of life. However, to our knowledge, there are no studies that have shown a positive association between searching for meaning and adjustment.…”

Real‐time hostile attribution measurement and aggression in children

“…"Causal attribution" refers to the thoughts that a child has, which identifies the actor responsible for an observed social stimulus (Weiner, 1985). In addition to causal attributions, attributions of intent occur within this step when a child takes the perspective of another person involved in the social event (Crick & Dodge, 1994).…”

“…In the specific realm of attribution formation, Weiner (1985) asserted that causal attributions predict how one later feels about a social stimulus as well as how one responds to it.…”

Primary attributions in women suffering fibromyalgia emphasize the perception of a disruptive onset for a long-lasting pain problem

“…Causal attributions are the common-sense explanations people give to account for an event and their own interpretations which will guide future behaviours [7][8][9][10]. Various studies [11][12][13] have highlighted how much causal attributions influence cognitions and symptom experience but also contribute to determine the illness response, help-seeking behaviour, illness-associated disability as well as coping behaviour and adaptive resources in various illnesses, including heart infarction [14], somatoform disorders [15,16], somatoform disorders in patients with suspected allergies [17], orthopaedic surgery [18], chronic pain [19], fatigue [20,21] and fibromyalgia [22,23].…”

“…Further studies showed the importance of two additional dimensions which may influence affective and behavioural responses to stressful events: stability over time and controllability of the event [9,10,[24][25][26]. Causal attributions can be thus classified into three dimensions: 1) locus of causality, 2) stability, and 3) controllability [26].…”