A STUDY CONCERNING THE INFLUENCIAL PROCESS OF CONFIDENCE, PREFERENCE AND CAUSAL ATTRIBUTION IN ARITHMETIC ASPECT

Abstract

Two issues as to confidence, preference and causal attributions in arithmetic aspect were studied with 153 fourth grade children. The first one was to examine the cognitive variables which directly provide the performance of moderately difficult division tasks assumed to be quite influenced by motivation for arithmetic. The other one was to analyze the relationships between confidence and causal attribution factors, and between preference and causal attribution factors. Results were as follows:(1) Both confidence and preference had significant effects on division performance (2) Ability attribution for success was the most important factor as an informational resource of both confidence and preference. Therefore, as Fukushima (1985) reported, not only confidence but also preference were considered as components of self-efficacy. But further investigations were requested to identify the preference effects on achievement behavior, and to verify the relationship among causal attribution, self-efficacy and achievement behavior.