A body of research into the way students understand their success or
failure, usually in terms of ability, effort, task difficulty and luck.
3 Dimensions
Locus of control
The extent to which people believe they have power over the events in their life
the cause of success or failure originates because of factors within us or in the environment
(internal vs. external)
Stability
Continuing without change; permanent
factors (like luck or skills) that affect our behavior over time (stable vs. unstable)
Controllability
To have command or power over
cause of success/failure something that we have or do not have control over (controllable vs
uncontrollable)
4 Factors(Can be both
negative or positive)
Ability(High Nach*Self-efficacy*respond better to praise)
a relatively internal and stable factor over which the learner does
not exercise much control
Internal
Stable
Uncontrollable
Examples
Positive eg. The student is very gifted and talent, and he or she
always gets a high score in most of subjects.
Negative eg. The student is very stupid in some ways, and this is a
kind of characteristic that he or she cannot change, so he or she
can only gain a lower score.
Effort(High Nach*Self-efficacy*respond better to praise*can help us to
change attributions<De charms>)
internal & unstable factor over which the learner can exercise a
great deal of control
Internal
Unstable
Controllable
Examples
Positive eg. The student makes an effort to his or her psychology
subject and he or she gets a very good ressult in this subject
finally.
Negative eg. The student is very hard-working, but he or she still
keep failing the exams.
Luck(Low Nach*Learned helplessness*DWeck)
external & unstable factor over which the learner exercises
very little control
External
Unstable
Uncontrollable
Examples
Positive eg. Fortunately, this copy of exam paper or task is quite
easy to answer or finish.
Negative eg. Unfortunately, this time, the test is very diffifult and
student cannot complete it.
Task difficulty(Low Nach)
an external & stable factor that is largely beyond the
learner’s control
External
Stable
Uncontrollable
Examples
Positive eg. The students find the queations on the test paper are
easy to answer.
Negative eg. The questions teachers set are too difficult for
students to answer.