ABSTRACT
A designated relation between locus of causality and the intensity of affective experiences is then analyzed in detail, for a flaw in the prior reasoning has become evident. In addition to influencing expectancy of success, it has been postulated that causal attributions in part determine the affective consequences of success and failure, and hence the “attractiveness” of the goal. Everyday observations also seem to support the expressed beliefs concerning the relative affective significance of ability versus effort attributions. The main affective responses given a success ascribed to ability are confident and competent; the emotional labels most highly associated with success ascribed to task difficulty are hopeful, composed, and safe. External ascriptions intensify other affective reactions. Furthermore, if attributions mediate between achievement-related outcomes and emotional expression, then causal ascriptions might not only influence the intensity of emotional feelings but also the quality of affective life. Stable effort ascriptions are discriminatively linked with only two emotions: calmness and relaxation.
