Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if causal dimension orientations would influence cognitive and behavioral factors of adults with high, average or low perceived competence. Specifically, adults with high, average, or low perceived competence were provided causal dimension orientations to determine if expectations, persistence, performance, and causal dimensions could be altered. Male and female college age students (N = 90) responded to a perceived competence scale. Separately, the high, average, and low perceived competence subjects were randomly assigned to one of three causal dimension groups, and were oriented to perceive their performance on a stabilometer balancing task as due to (1) internal, controllable, unstable factors (ICU); (2) internal, uncontrollable, stable factors (IUS); or (3) nothing in particular (NDO). The results of this investigation are discussed in terms of the benefits of internal, controllable, and unstable dimension orientations and their influence on various cognitive and behavioral measures of adults with differing perceived competence. Verf.-Referat (gekuerzt)