Perceiving the Causes of Objective and Subjective Outcomes following Motor Performance

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the relative effects of objective and subjective outcomes on subjects' causal attributions at an achievement-oriented motor task. A 2 × 2 factorial design (objective outcome by subjective outcome) was employed with 16 subjects in each condition. The two levels of both factors were success and failure. The results indicated that attributions were nonreciprocal (self-serving) under objective success and failure, but attributions were reciprocal (nonself-serving) when subjective success and failure were considered. Whether self-serving biases in causality of attributions are a fact or fiction (Miller & Ross, 1975) depends on whether objective or subjective outcomes are considered. Thus, if the subject's and experimenter's perceptions of success differ, it is not justified to use objective outcomes as the criteria for success and failure when testing the self-enhancement hypothesis.