Causal Attribution for Performance By Cross-age Tutors and Tutees

Abstract

In two studies, 122 children participating in cross-age tutoring programs were asked to indicate what they saw as the causes of successful or unsuccessful learning using tutorial instruction. Regardless of when attributions were measured (prior to, during, or after tutoring), both tutors and tutees felt that tutorial learning was most dependent on effort rather than ability factors. Also, children tended to attribute positive learning consequences to their tutoring partner, but tended to attribute negative learning consequences to themselves. Findings are related to both attribution theory and cross-age tutoring.