DEVELOPMENT OF PERCEPTION OF OWN ATTAINMENT AND CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS FOR SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN READING

Previous research has shown causal attributions for observed performance become more logical with age. This study with 540 2nd-, 4th-, 6th-, and 8th-grade pupils showed similar age trends in children's explanations of their own academic successes and failures. Most important, ability attributions for success and failure in reading were more effectively predicted by reading attainment in older than in younger Ss. Perception of own attainment was also appreciably more accurate in older Ss. These findings lead to the prediction that motivation will be more related to attainment in older than in younger children. The present attributional analysis, unlike self-concept-based analyses of age changes, acknowledges the effects of cognitive maturity as well as history of attainment. Sex differences of interest are noted. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1979 American Psychological Association.