Longitudinal Effects of Hispanic Students’ Stability Attributions Following Initial Failure

• In Event: Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Contextual and Cultural Influences on Motivation, Engagement, and Affect

Abstract

Though studies have established that following poor performance, attributions to stable causes affect the performance of minority students, few studies have explored the impact of stability attributions over time. This study explored attributions following initial failure among a predominantly Hispanic student population. We measured students’ collectivism, stability attributions and grades at three points during the semester. Attributions to stable causes were associated with worse initial grades and lesser gains in academic performance over time. Further, collectivism was associated with greater initial attribution to stable causes but less increase in attributions to stable causes over time. Our results suggest collectivists are less inclined to engage in self-protective attributions which protect self-esteem in the short term but inhibit academic improvement over time.

Authors

• Yan Yang, The University of West Georgia

• Cody Brent Cox, The University of Texas - Brownsville