The present study compares the attributions of young children 5 to 6.5 years of age with those of adult subjects 20 to 30 years of age, who were engaged in the same competitive situation. It was hypothesized that sex differences would occur in the sample of adults but not in the sample of children. Believing outcomes to be determined by either chance or skill, 192 subjects competed against each other in pairs, using an electronic game designed by the experimenters. Actually, outcomes were controlled. Poker chips were wagered prior to each trial game, and subjects competed against a same- or other-sex competitor. Outcome measures, in addition to win/lose, included an analysis of bets across trials, skill/chance conditions, and subjects' responses to a series of questions concerning their own and others' performances. Results revealed significant sex differences in the patterns of adult subjects that were not found in those of the children. Outcome, sex of subject, and sex of opponent affected significantly both bets and attributions of adults; skill/chance perceptions of the game produced no significant effects. (Author/RH)