Internal-External Control and Causal Attributions of Own and Others' Performance

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Abstract
In a 3 × 3 factorial design, 69 subjects with a high, medium, or low perceived internal control on Rotter's I-E scale judged the degree to which they thought three grades on a classroom examination resulted from effort and ability (internal factors) as opposed to type of test and luck (external factors). The three grades were the subject's own grade, the highest grade in class, and the lowest grade in class. Results showed that subjects with a high degree of internal control on the I-E scale attributed all three grades to internal factors significantly more than subjects with a low degree of internal control. Internal attributions were significantly higher for the highest grade in class than for the others.