Influence of Situational Factors on Causal Attributions of College Females

Abstract

144 female college students either competed or cooperated with a male ( n = 72) or female ( n = 72) partner on a word-generation task. Feedback on success or failure was given following performance. The dependent measures were expectancy of success and causal attribution for success or failure. In general a cooperative-competitive manipulation influenced expectancies and causal attributions in the predicted direction. Women stated higher expectancies of success and were less external in causal attributions in the cooperative than in the competitive condition. However, most predictions with respect to sex of partner or of competitor were not supported. The data suggest that the pattern of causal attribution may not be an enduring personality trait of an individual but varies with the situation and that sex differences in causal attribution may be situation specific.