Multiattributional Causality

Abstract

This study elaborated upon the internal-external locus of control dimension in cross-national achievement research by including a measure of a stable-unstable dimension, four individual causal attributions (ability, effort, context, and luck), and success and failure conditions. Subjects were 684 university students from India, Japan, South Africa, the United States, and Yugoslavia, majoring in education, social science, and physical science. Results supported the usefulness of this expanded perspective in understanding beliefs of responsibility for achievement outcomes. Subjects across all countries attributed their achievement more to their own effort (internal, unstable) than to ability, luck, or context. Differences among countries were significant for attributions to ability, context, and luck and for the stability composite. Differences among the countries for effort attributions and overall internality were not statistically significant. Across countries individuals made differential attributions depending upon the success or failure of their achievement-related behavior.