The effects of attributional feedback regarding multiplication performance on the self-efficacy of grade 5 students
Date
1986
Authors
O'Sullivan, Winfred Breda
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the idea that attributional feedback of effort and ability has differential influence upon students' a) achievement level, and c) attributions self-efficacy, b) for success and failure. Four classes of grade five students participated in this study. Over a six day period the students in each class judged their self-efficacy before attempting a mathematical recall of number facts grid. Each daily task was similar in design. The task involved one hundred multiplication facts for recall, and the students were working under a three minute time constraint.
Two types of attribution feedback were given. Class 1 served as a control class. Class 2 received feedback for the effort they expended, and the emphasis was split between past and future successes. Classes 3 and 4 both received feedback for their ability.
Overall results indicated that ability feedback was most influential in promoting self-efficacy, achievement performance, and attributions for success due to ability.
The control and effort classes scored similarly in self-efficacy, achievement, and attributions for success. This study indicates that the ability feedback condition is superior either to the effort feedback condition or to the no feedback condition in raising the performance and self-efficacy level of children on a task of intermediate difficulty. The results suggest that ability feedback is effective not only for groups of students but also for high achieving students within those groups. Students with high performance levels seem to benefit from an acknowledgement of their achievement ability.