Proposes causal field theory as a model of causal reasoning. Suggests that anomaly detection through comparison with natural events triggers causal reasoning. This anomaly is interpreted in terms of agency; therefore, natural phenomena can be understood through an appeal to agency. The mechanism proposed never changes with development, whereas…

Underlines two major differences between moral judgments and moral behavior. For behavior, the moral situation is construed from an observer's perspective after the event and typically involves conflicts between moral and other kinds of pressures. For judgment, the situation is interpreted from the self's perspective in advance and often involves…

Comments on the issues introduced by Saltzstein (PS 522 554) in this issue. Elaborates on Saltzstein's proposed social cognitive factors that may account for discrepancies between moral reasoning and action, highlighting strengths and weaknesses. (AA)

This study examined spoken attributions of 18 families during diagnostic therapy following serious child abuse. Patterns of attributions successfully predicted classification of families by therapists as good, uncertain, and poor in terms of prognosis for rehabilitation. Case accounts illustrate use of attributional analysis to understand the…

Tested the belief that exploring gender themes in counseling is most therapeutic when the client also considers gender issues relevant for understanding personal experience. Analogue counselors made either high gender salience or low gender salience interventions with 209 subjects. Results indicated small interaction effects between counselor…

The responses of 2,511 Asian American students in grades 4 to 11 in Seattle, Washington, to the Survey of Achievement Responsibility revealed distinctions among Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian students in attributions to effort or ability. Recommends national origin be defined in studies related to Asian…

This study found that, compared to nonmaltreated children, 19 children (ages 8-13) who had been physically and emotionally abused by their parents showed greater depressive symptomatology, including feelings of sadness, lower self-esteem and self-worth, and perceived lack of control over aversive events (helplessness). (Author/JDD)

Examined age differences in attributions for self-reported successes and failures in important and daily situations. Attributions and affects were collected from 61 young, 21 middle-aged, and 15 older adults. Middle-aged and older adults were more likely than young adults to attribute failure to external causes and to describe more social than…

The relationship between academic self-concept and achievement was examined longitudinally for 46 children at ages 8 and 10. A bidirectional relationship operated between self-concept and achievement. Success attributions to ability were positively related to self-concept and achievement but were not a direct predictor of achievement. (SLD)

This study compared 28 preadolescents, either with or without learning disabilities (LD). Students with LD had less effective monitoring skills, lower attributions to effort, and a wider range of depressive symptoms. Results are discussed in relation to Borkowski's model that relates behavioral patterns of children facing school tasks with…

Studied 8- and 11-year-olds as evaluators of peer group entry and limited resources. Found older children evaluated peers more positively than did younger for limited resources conflicts. Found all children evaluated the focal peer's intentions during group entry more negatively than intentions during limited resources and evaluated peer responses…

Explores the extent that intergroup attributions may be affected by the mobilization of an academic status that explicitly positions students within a school hierarchy. Calculates internality scores for students categorized as good versus bad based on a questionnaire of attributions. Explains the results within the frame of two theoretical fields.…

Studied the relationships among academic achievement, learned helplessness, and psychological adjustment (self-esteem and depression), controlled for gender and age, for 1,580 students with data collected in grades 3 and 4, 6 and 7, and 8 and 9. Results show that academic achievement is directly and indirectly related to the pattern of…

Examines abuse-related attributions and perceptions, general attributions, and locus of control and their psychological impact on sexually abused girls. Seventy-seven subjects and 88 controls were administered the Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire and the Locus of Control Scale for Children. Discusses clinical and research implications…

Investigated the effects of playing violent versus non-violent video games on the interpretation of ambiguous provocation situation. Found that children playing a violent video game responded more negatively to three of six ambiguous provocation story questions than children playing the non-violent video game. Data suggest that playing violent…