Previous research on the primacy effect in ability attribution has focused on intellectual ability, using intelligence test problems as the stimulus material. To examine ability attribution under conditions of ascending (improving), descending, and random patterns of performance on a typing task, 179 college students (69 males, 110 females) evaluated applicants for a typist position based on typing tests results. Ratings of the typist's ability, motivation, and expected future performance were also measured. An analysis of the results showed that fewer errors were associated with ascending as compared to descending performance, while the random performance pattern elicited the highest number of recalled and predicted errors. The ascending performer was rated as a better typist and was seen as significantly more competent than either the descending or random performers. The ascending performer also scored significantly higher on the motivational attributions of concern about doing well, level of concentration, and motivation. Fatigue was perceived as a significant factor affecting the descending performer, while practice was perceived as a factor helping the ascending performer. No signficant main effects for sex of typist were found. These findings suggest the need for caution in generalizing about the primacy effect in ability attribution. (BL)