Examines the function of interpretation in counseling independent of its theoretical content. Reviews theory and research to yield three contrasting models of the function of interpretation in the change process. Discusses the relative merits of the three models of change and their implications for research. (Author)

Determined whether three life roles of student, worker, and homemaker would be distinguished by career and achievement motivation. A survey of high school graduates (N=212) showed that generally students had higher level career and education aspirations and homemakers had higher social approval values. Characterizations of workers were less…

Assessed whether evaluations of men and women are influenced by the gender appropriateness of personality characteristics. Students (N=211) rated written descriptions of masculine or feminine individuals with socially desirable or undesirable personality traits. Results showed gender appropriateness had no significant effect on evaluation. Ratings…

The studies so far fail to prove that adult education reduces poverty, or is essential to its reduction. It appears impossible, logically and in terms of methodology, unequivocally to demonstrate a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Further studies are unlikely to produce such proof. (SSH)

Survey 143 high school students concerning their self-assessment and situation related to grades received. Results showed widespread dissatisfaction with grades, often related to a general dislike of school, personal problems or personal unhappiness. Effort exerted was significantly related to grade satisfaction. (JAC)

Evidence that parental firm control promotes effective socialization of children (i.e., promotes self-control, social responsibility) is examined, and a reinterpretation of existing measures of firm control that is consistent with attribution theory is offered. It is concluded that the notion that parental firm control promotes effective…

Summarizes common explanations for the fact that fewer women than men elect to take advanced mathematics courses and enter mathematically oriented careers, integrating this research into a theoretical model first proposed by Parsons and her colleagues for studying students' academic choices and decisions. The utility of the model is discussed.…

The causal attributions of 184 teachers from metropolitan school districts were found to vary with positive versus negative learning outcomes in terms of both internality/externality and stability of cause. Relations to overall efficacy, teaching experience, grade level taught, and teacher gender were explored; only grade level differences were…

Studied two factors hypothesized to be related to sex differences in participation in mathematics courses -- teachers' evaluative feedback and students' success expectations. No sex differences were found in patterns of teachers' evaluative feedback or students' success expectations on familiar mathematics tasks; however, girls had lower success…

Thirty kindergarten children, 30 third graders, 30 sixth graders, and 30 college students were told two stories in which an actor behaved either generously or selfishly. Subjects then predicted and rated the actor's behavior in 10 life-like situations that provided opportunities for generous behavior as well as behaviors similar to generosity…

Two studies are described in which the causal attributions of unemployed school-leavers are studied. The leavers who were out of work favored more external attributions. Prior to leaving school the groups did not differ, but the employed shifted toward more internal causal ascription. (Author)

Undergraduate subjects were given an opportunity to cheat undetected on puzzle problems. The hypotheses were confirmed that more cheating occurred under ability attribution conditions than under luck attribution conditions; this effect of performance attribution was greater among self-aware subjects than among non-self-aware subjects. (Author/MH)

A study of 104 students (ages 16 to 22) with mental retardation (n=32), learning disabilities (n=34), or no disabilities (n=38) examined variables that contribute to perceptions of self-determination and increased student motivation. The students with disabilities were found to have more of an external locus of control orientation. (CR)

This qualitative study analyzed the retrospective attributions of adult sisters (five abused sister dyads, and five abused and nonabused sister dyads) who grew up in incestuous families. It examined the attributions of subjects regarding the general sibling group; victim selection and nonselection; and attributions regarding jealousy, protection,…

This study compared the motivational orientations and metacognitive abilities of 143 Grade 7 intellectually gifted students in an Australian selective school with 133 average-achieving age peers attending comprehensive schools. Gifted students had greater confidence in their own control over successes or failures in school tasks, demonstrated more…