The attribution theory is considered a very influential element aligned with a cause-effect structure that determines a person’s reality with reference to their behavior (Wentzel & Miele, 2009). It is imperative to note that the theory is not confined to an individual, but rather a set of both internal and external factors based on how past and subsequent decisions have been made to improve performance. People will, therefore, be inclined to look for explanations and causes that may have attributed to their success or failure. They will, therefore, focus on maintaining a positive image by interpreting the environment in a manner that favors their self-image. There are some cases where the outcome of the situation cannot be controlled because the end result is determined by external factors. Here, one would be justified to blame their failure on such elements but in most cases, the individual progress towards a particular goal is normally based on the behavior and motivation of the person. This implies that the success rate for a given situation will always be determined by the behavior and strategy that one puts in place to achieve the set objectives. During my years in elementary school, I remember there was a time I was very stressed as because I failed to score the grade I was supposed to and as such, this cost me my summer camping trip. As a person, I normally consider myself as a very ambitious person and as such, I normally put all my efforts to ensure that I am the best at everything. This applies to all the aspects of my life, even in sports and other activities. In that semester, I started out as a focused student but by the time we came to the end, I had already lost my focus in my academic work. I had become addicted to video games and as such, I used to go to my friend’s house to play after school. My parents had refused to buy it because they believed that it would affect my concentration in class. Well, they were right because all I could think of was how I would advance to the next level in the games. I had been blinded by these games to an extent that I stopped doing my homework and assessments. I was not accustomed to failing so when I received my results, I was completely devastated, not that I was not expecting this, but because I always passed in my exams. Based on the information provided above, it is evident that I was to blame for this failure but instead, I attributed this to external factors. First, I blamed my friend because he still posted good grades. I believed that he was the one who lured me into the habit of laying video games to a point where I became addicted. In addition to this, I also believed that my parents had something to do with my performance because if they had bought the video games for me, I would not have gone to my friend’s house to play. The teacher was also not left out in the blame game. The failure at this point in my life was of my own doing, yet I blamed external factors. To maintain my self-image, I made myself believe that I had no control over the outcome of the results. Self-efficacy and attribution are considered as critical elements in motivating a person to achieve a given set of goals (Harvey & Martinko, 2009). The attribution theory views individuals as rational thinkers who use both internal and external cues to explain what is going on around them (Weiner, 1972). In most cases, they will always find a reason to explicate how their actions have been influenced by other factors that are out of their control. By doing this, they try to maintain a positive image of their being so that they can avoid portraying themselves in a negative manner. For a student, failure may be attributed to the exam being too hard, bad luck or not being smart enough. On the other hand, they may also blame their failure on friends, family, their teachers or even the environment around them. It is therefore imperative to note that the attrition theory does not represent the direct outcome of an action because it relies on the perception of an individual’s personality. Stability and controllability also play a very important role as far as the attribution theory is concerned (Fishman & Husman, 2017). Individuals normally make their own assessments based on the stability of a situation and the duration of the cause. Judgments will, therefore, be made based on these factors and as such, the desire to succeed will be affected. Controllability of a situation will also determine the success or failure of an action. One of the main strategies that can be applied to the attribution theory is planning. Individuals need to conduct a comprehensive analysis of a process before actually doing it. This will enable them to gain knowledge on the internal and external factors that can affect the success of the activity. One can get to know all the variables in play so that they can take the necessary steps to control those that they can. Maintaining a positive mindset can also be a useful strategy in this case because it will eliminate any form of negative attitude towards failure (The Foundation for critical thinking, n.d.). One can, therefore, start a task without having a far of failing because they have maintained a positive mindset up to the completion of the process.
References
Fishman, E. J., & Husman, J. (2017). Extending attribution theory: Considering students’ perceived control of the attribution process. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(4), 559. Harvey, P., & Martinko, M. J. (2009). Attribution theory and motivation. Organizational behavior, theory and design in health care, 143-158. The Foundation for critical thinking. http://www.criticalthinking.org/ Weiner, B. (1972). Attribution theory, achievement motivation, and the educational process. Review of educational research, 42(2), 203-215. Wentzel, K. R., & Miele, D. B. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of motivation at school. Routledge.
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