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The purpose of the present study is to extend past outcome-dependent models of Sport Competition Anxiety (SCA) to include attribution theory as an appraisal process of past performance outcome. It was hypothesized that unstable causal attributions for past unexpected performances would lead to uncertain expectations of future performance and subsequent SCA. Sixty-three male subjects were assessed for initial expectations of how they would perform in a cycling task, i.e., high and low, in which each subject received false feedback about his performance (success or failure). After completing the task, subjects completed questionnaires assessing the discrepancy between expected and actual outcome, attributions for past performance (Causal Dimension Scale), expectation for future performance, and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 which measures state cognitive and somatic anxiety and state self-confidence. Contrary to predictions, results indicated that attribution did not mediate SCA, but rather attributions were made systematically in response to success and failure and not unexpected outcome. However, path analysis carried out on a modified model of SCA that includes outcome and expectations of future performance, indicated that somatic anxiety and state self-confidence are mediated by expectation of future success. The findings are discussed in terms of attribution theory and other cognitive constructs (e.g., self-schemata and efficacy expectations) that might have an impact on attributional patterns that lead to performance expectations and SCA. It is noted that because only male subjects were used, generalizability to female competitors may not be appropriate due to differences in sport socialization. / Department of Psychological Science

Since the early 1970's numerous researchers have been questioning the existence of sex differences in causal attribution. From those who claim differences exist, three models have been proposed: the general externality model, the female self-derogation model, and the female low expectancy model. This study proposed that two variables, sex role and task investment, might mediate the relationship between sex and causal attribution. A structural equation model was proposed and analyzed using LISREL VII (Joreskog & Sorbom, 1989).For this study, 208 undergraduate psychology students were asked to complete the following: a demographic sheet, the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (Spence, Helmreich, & Stapp, 1975), a task investment measure created for this study, a short performance task (10 mathematics or anagram problems), and the Causal Dimension Scale (Russell, 1982).Results did not support the proposed overall model; however, some findings were significant. First, women were more likely to make unstable attributions for success than were men, consistent with the female low expectancy model, but the difference was very small. Also, in the failure condition, masculinity was negatively correlated with stability.Second, women reported being more invested in the tasks and said they had more experience at these tasks than did the men. Additionally, femininity was positively correlated with task investment, contrary to predictions. Finally, outcome was correlated with all three causal attribution dimensions. The perception of success was positively correlated with higher internal, stable, and controllable attributions, suggesting a type of self-enhancement bias for both sexes. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study is an examination of the relationships between alcoholics' and nonalcoholics' attributions and their emotions of anxiety and depression. The research design is an ex post facto/causal comparative analysis. Subjects were 150 white males. The treatment factor is separated into three levels: no treatment for alcoholism (50 nonalcoholics), two or three day treatment for alcoholism (50 alcoholics in detoxification units), and three to six months of treatment for alcoholism (50 alcoholics in a supportive living situation, halfway house, three-quarterway house). The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) was used to separate nonalcoholics from alcoholics. The variables measured for the three populations are: attributional style (as measured by the Attributional Style Questionnaire-revised for drinking practices) and emotional state (as measured by the Profile of Mood State).One-way MANOVA analysis was used to examine the data because there are three attributional areas measured by the ASQ (internality, stability, and globality) and two emotional areas measured by the POMS (tension-anxiety, depression-dejection). MANOVA analysis resulted in a significant F. The three groups were significantly different at the multivariate level in terms of attributional and emotional states.Discriminate analysis was used to determine if the groups were reliably different. Both synthetic variables analyzed resulted in significant results. The first synthetic variable was labeled "emotional stability," and the second was labeled "specific causal attribution."Univariate analysis showed: (1) no significant difference between groups on the internal/external dimension or the stable/unstable dimension, (2) significant difference at the .01 level on the global/specific dimension when comparing alcoholics in recovery and nonalcoholics, and (3) significant difference at the .01 level on anxiety and depression levels of each of the three group comparisons.Pearson Product Correlations were examined to understand the relationships between attributions and emotional states for alcoholics and nonalcoholics. The stable/unstable and global/specific dimensions are positively correlated with depression and the global/specific dimension is positively correlated with anxiety.All the hypotheses were supported:1. Alcoholics in detoxification make different attributions and have different mood states than alcoholics in recovery.2. Nonalcoholics make different attributions and have different mood states than alcoholics in treatment and in recovery.3. There are correlational relationships between the attributions and emotional states for alcoholics and nonalcoholics.Some alcoholic treatment recommendations were made. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The central proposition of this thesis is that intergroup attributions and explanations, like any other intergroup behaviour, are affected by the perceived relations between the groups. Social Identity Theory (SIT) was adopted as the theoretical framework within which to investigate intergroup relations. According to this theory, intergroup behaviour is affected by the relative status the groups bear to each other, together with the perceived legitimacy and stability of this status hierarchy. The thesis proposes two amendments to the theory. It is argued that perceived legitimacy and perceived stability have different effects on intergroup behaviour and hence can not be subsumed under the general category of "insecure comparisons". It is also suggested that intragroup variability exists in these perceptions. A study was conducted which confirmed these propositions, and predictions emerging from SIT concerning the effect of these perceptions on intergroup behaviour and attitudes received considerable support. In examining the effect of the intergroup perception factors on bias in intergroup attributions, the thesis focuses on two types of groups: race and gender. Three types of attribution were considered in different studies: explanations of intergroup inequality, attributions of blame for rape or robbery and attributions for individual group members' actions and outcomes. The results indicate that the relative status of the groups, together with the perceptions of the legitimacy of this status hierarchy influence the first two - the explanations for inequality and the attributions of blame made to the victim and perpetrator of crimes. In general, it appears that the 'prise de conscience' of the illegitimacy of the intergroup situation is the motivating force in rejecting the domination of the high status group over the low status group, by members of both the high and low status groups. However, the third type of attributions, the intergroup explanations made for individual group members' actions and outcomes were not in general affected by these factors. It was suggested that either the intergroup aspect of these vignettes lacked the salience to elicit an intergroup response, or that the actors in the vignettes were treated as atypical of the groups.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Kent State University, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Nov. 14, 2007). Advisor: Michael Y. Hu. Keywords: marketing, service. Includes questionnaire. Includes bibliographical references (p. 134-145).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Notre Dame, 2009. / Thesis directed by David A. Smith for the Department of Psychology. "March 2009." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-57).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 16, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-64). Also issued in print.