Temporal Effects on Attributions: Actor and Observer Differences

Actors' and observers' attributions for performance on an ability test were assessed. Halt of the actors were told they had performed well on the test, and half that they had performed poorly. In addition, half of the subjects gave their attributions immediately after the test, and halt 3 days later. As predicted, actors who believed they had been successful gave attributions that were more dispositional .3 days after the test than when asked immediately afterward. Actors who believed they had tailed gave attributions that were more situational 3 days later than immediately afterward. Observers gave attributions that did not differ over time. The results are interpreted in support of a motivational explanation for temporal effects on actors' attributions.