Attribution Theory

In our world, all effects are attributed to some sort of cause. This is as true in educational pursuits as it is in scientific ones, and in education (psychology in general) this is known as Attribution Theory. It is important to understand the causes that our students attribute to their successes and failures, because this can point to their broader motivations.

For example, some students are motivated only by the fact that they attribute their success to their ability to cram before a test. Another student might be scared of failure, but only because he attributes his failures to the inability of the school system to deal with his particular needs (whether valid or not).

We can guide our students by helping them establish a belief in their own abilities, without them relying on their abilities. Basically, students should be guided into knowing that even if they failed, they failed because of some (reasonable) outside force, or due to a lack of effort or time on their part. That way, they'll be more likely to try again in the future.

This is an excellent link to a summary of how attribution theory effects student motivation:
http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/edPsybook/Edpsy5/edpsy5_attribution.htm