Explores the cognitive processes that can lead social workers to make erroneous judgements about clients, and inappropriate practice decisions. Similarities between the assessment and practice methods advocated underscore the notion of practice as a process of systematic exploration and problem solving. (Author/JAC)

The effects of cooperative and competitive reward structures on children's attributions and effective reactions to success and failure were examined. Results showed that competitive contingencies accentuated the differences in self-other perceptions and cooperative contingencies minimized these differences. (Author/GK)

Following a mathematics test, 134 sixth-graders from different social class/national origin groups, were asked to attribute causality for their success or failure. All groups tended to attribute success more to internal than external causes and more to stable than unstable causes. Attributions of failure varied between the groups. (Author/SJL)

Fifth-grade boys of relatively good, average, and poor reading ability were assessed on tasks in which success and failure were manipulated. Consistent with predictions, poor readers displayed characteristics indicative of learned helplessness and low self-concepts of ability, including low expectations and less persistence. (Instructional…

An achievement situation describing two children successfully and unsuccessfully performing task in competitive, cooperative, and individualistic reward structures was presented to 400 children across five grade levels. Results showed that different evaluative beliefs about the concepts of ability and reward allocation were associated with each…

While evaluation condition (teacher, self, peer-comparison) on anagram task performance and continuing motivation (CM) among Iranian fifth graders appeared to make little difference in the case of performance, its effect on CM was significant--results were remarkably similar to those obtained with U.S. samples. (RC)

Attempts to evaluate several sources of information found in students' cumulative folders on teachers' expectancy sets. Types of information included for evaluation consisted of the child's degree of attractiveness, ability, sex, and family background. (Author/RK)

Examined whether clients who perceived their counselors as holding etiology attributions similar to their own would rate their counselors' credibility higher than clients who saw their counselors as holding dissimilar attributions. Results indicate that clients in the similarity of etiology attribution condition did rate their counselors as more…

Discusses findings of a cross-cultural study of the relation between self-perception of academic competence and achievement, and attribution of achievement to effort or ability. Considers problems in fitting Anglo-American motivation theory with Russian schooling practice. Calls for culturally sensitive, multimethod approaches in which individual…

Examined age and gender differences in leadership aspirations among adolescents (N=130) by measuring overall leadership aspirations, valence-instrumentality expectancies for leadership outcomes, self-efficacy perceptions, and attributions of effective leadership. Found significant gender differences in valence scores and age differences in…

Examined differences in self-concept, attributions, and teacher-related persistence in students with learning disabilities (N=49) and in nonhandicapped students (N=57). Results indicated students with learning disabilities reported lower self-concepts on items related to academic achievement, and were rated by their teachers as less persistent…

Criticizes the development of current Federal policy for dealing with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic based on the individual responsibility of minority group victims. Argues that AIDS should be combatted through a materialist-realist perspective that acknowledges the influence of social and environmental pressures. (FMW)

Studies perceptions of causal attributions pertinent to success and failure in two social class groups from Belgium, West Germany, India, South Korea, and England. Found high agreement among the two social classes as well as among four of the nations, but Indians rated all causes as more external, variable, and uncontrollable. (FMW)

The structure of "teacher efficacy" was studied with a sample of 342 prospective and experienced teachers through an efficacy questionnaire. Factors correspond to an internal versus external distinction, similar to the locus-of-control measures of causal attribution. (SLD)

This study examined the social attributions of 32 students with learning disabilities (LD) compared to those of 29 nonlearning-disabled low achieving and 33 average-achieving students. Students with LD were more likely to use external factors in explaining their social successes and failures, while attributing their successes to internal factors.…