Studied effects of verbal accounts offered by a threatener on targets' (N=82) subsequent attributions of the threatener's social motives. Results showed a cooperative account led to an inference of cooperative disposition, a transrelational equity account led to attribution of deceit, and an excuse of ignorance was linked with apathy. (WAS)

Compared smokers' (214) and nonsmokers' (220) explanations for cigarette smoking behavior to determine predictors of cigarette consumption. Results showed addiction and affective smoking were the most important motives predicting consumption. Presented at the meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 1980. (WAS)

Used three experiments to test skill-chance activity preference. Men and women (N=368) opted to perform either skill or chance versions of masculine and feminine tasks. Results showed that while men's skill preferences are higher on a masculine task, women prefer skill on a feminine task. (Author/JAC)

Causal attributions of shy students (N=36) were compared with those of a comparison group of students (N=36) in ten situations. Significant differences between the two groups emerged when explaining outcomes of situations considered to be problematic for shy individuals. Causal attributions may reflect realistic and situation-specific…

Internal locus of control and positive outcome subjects attributed responsibility for their test results to internal factors, while external and negative outcome subjects tended toward external causations. Ability and luck components were rated in accord with the Weiner model classification, but the effort and task components were not. (Author/SJL)

Investigated the implicational relations between dispositional levels and relevant categories of behavior. Findings were consistent with the idea that dispositional labels are used to represent a central tendency in a person's behavior. (Author)