Can Attribution Theory Tell Us something About Motivation in Blacks?

Abstract

Attribution theory has proved to be a useful conceptual framework for the study of motivation in blacks. This article describes a program of research on black motivation from an attributional perspective and within a comparative racial framework. Among the topics examined among black and white children are (a) the perceived causes of success and failure at school exams, (b) the affective antecedents of particular self-ascriptions such as ability and effort, and (c) the consequences of causal attributions for expectancy of success and teacher evaluation. Both similarities and differences between racial groups in the use of attributional concepts are documented. It is indicated how both kinds of findings are incorporated into the theory to suggest questions for future research. The advantages of this comparative racial approach are highlighted, and some general principles for the study of motivation in blacks are outlined.