ERIC Number: EJ920793
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Apr
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0361-476X
EISSN: N/A
Students' Attributions for Their Best and Worst Marks: Do They Relate to Achievement?
McClure, John; Meyer, Luanna H.; Garisch, Jessica; Fischer, Ronald; Weir, Kirsty F.; Walkey, Frank H.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, v36 n2 p71-81 Apr 2011
Research has found a relation between motivation and attributions for success and failure. However, few studies have clarified the relationship of attributions to school achievement and possible cultural differences in this relationship. To investigate this issue, 5333 secondary students (European, Asian, Maori, Pacific) rated four common attributions--ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck--and three social influences (teachers, peers, and family) for their best and worst marks. Motivation orientations were also measured. Several measures were significantly related to students' GPA scores, most notably the motivation orientations "Doing My Best" and "Doing Just Enough", but also attributions to effort, teacher, and peer influences. There were substantial differences for ethnicity, particularly between European students and Maori and Pacific students. The results support theories claiming that effort attributions motivate achievement but also support the benefits of a self-serving bias.
Descriptors: Grade Point Average, Outcomes of Education, Academic Achievement, Motivation, Cultural Differences, Social Influences, Secondary School Students, Grades (Scholastic), Peer Influence, Ethnicity, Ethnic Groups, Attribution Theory, Pacific Islanders, Foreign Countries, Academic Ability, Academic Aspiration, Difficulty Level
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
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