Causal attributions for success and failure: Differences between selected high school and college team sport athletes
Year: 1993
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study measured causal attributions of high school and college athletes using the Causal Dimension Scale (CDS).The subjects were members of varsity soccer, basketball, baseball, and softball teams.There were 250 surveys conducted on high school subjects, and 240 surveys performed on college subjects.Subjects were broken down into sub-groups of: males, females, starters, and reserves.Subjects were surveyed after wins and losses.A one-way ANOVA was utilized to determine statistical differences between high school and college athletes' scores on the CDS after wins and losses for the three dimensions of causal attribution (locus of causality, control, stability) at the .05level.The purpose of this study was to see if high school athletes are more egocentric (more ego-enhancing and more ego-protecting) than college athletes.While some significant differences in the causal attributions of high school and college athletes were found, the differences did not indicate increased egocentricism by high school athletes.This study duplicated the findings of many previous studies that found individuals use ego-enhancing attributes (internal, controllable, and stable) after successful outcomes, and ego-protecting attributes (external, uncontrollable, and unstable) after unsuccessful outcomes.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Great appreciation is expressed to Dr. Arthur "Tucker" Miller for his time and effort in helping to put this project together.These were not the easiest of circumstances for a research project to be conducted.Many people would not have been as patient or flexible as he has been.Also appreciated are Dr. Paul Silverman for participating in this committee without previously knowing the person who was asking him, and Dr. Clarence Eugene Burns for joining this committee at the last minute and allowing for a completion of the project to take place.
Source: The Mathematics Enthusiast
Author: Michael B. Riggs
Institution: University of Montana
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2460525323