The results suggest that role orientation and achievement motivation of women influenced causal attribution for success and failure outcomes. In some cases these subject variables interacted with the competitiveness of the situation and with sex of partner or of opponent in determining causal ascriptions. (Author/AM)

Argues that (1) mandatory retirement policies may be attributionally preferable to retirement based on demonstrated incompetence; (2) opinions of older people are shaped by attributions made to the role; and (3) the attributional focus of the helping profesisons may perpetuate the negative view of aging. (Author)

Three experiments were performed to explore actors' and observers' use of consensus to infer dispositions, stimulus attributes, and causal attributions. Subjects were college students. (CM)

This article explores the possibility that the hyperactive child may be reacting to a home or school situation. (JD)

Three experiments examined elementary school children's ascriptions of blame for communication failure in a game in which either the child or the experimenter described one of a set of drawings so that the other could pick the matching one from an identical set. (Author/JMB)

Evidence is reviewed which suggests that there may be little or no direct introspective access to higher order cognitive processes. It is proposed that when people attempt to report on their cognitive processes they do not do so on the basis of any true introspection. (Editor/RK)

A measure of causal attribution of emotion using a simple, realistic task with responses requested in segments was employed to investigate 40 kindergarteners' understanding of the causes of emotions in others. (JMB)

Study examines the Slaby and Frey (1975) gender-constancy interview, which has been widely used in tests of the cognitive-developmental account. Sixty children, aged between 42 and 54 months, were given the interview either in the traditional order or in a reversed order. Order effects were found. Methodological issues are discussed. (Author/BN)

Sixty mothers of four- through 12-year-old children rated the (1) environmental versus dispositional basis of their child's behavior; (2) behavior's probable origins, cross-situational consistancy, and temporal stability; (3) child's controllability; and (4) personal responsibility for engaging in each behavior. Findings suggested a positive bias…

To examine gender differences in attributions for success and failure across subject areas, the Survey of Achievement Responsibility (SOAR) was administered to 165 girls and 160 boys in grades 4 through 12. The SOAR assesses attributions for success and failure in language arts and mathematics/science. Results are presented. (Author/MT)

College students were administered the Multidimensional-Multiattributional Causality Scale (MMCS). Most of the 3-item subscales had adequate reliabilities. A factor analysis of intercorrelations of responses revealed three pure factors and three ambiguous factors. Results provide partial support for reliability and factorial validity of the MMCS.…

Examines reasons that adolescents use alcohol and drugs, including role confusion, developmental factors, parental influence, and peer pressure. Reports that adolescents also abuse substances to feel excitement, cope with personality conflicts, and express their individuality through rebellion. (ABB)

Assesses the information used by 5- to 13-year-olds to make dispositional attributions. Children were shown a boy interacting with others harmfully. Results of trait adjective ratings and predictions of causal responsibility for subsequent property damage revealed that the use of frequency and covariation information differed with age. (Author/CB)