What mistakes do students make with Attribution theory?

Treating attribution as the objective cause of the result. It is the performer's perceived cause, so two athletes can explain one result differently. Assuming any external cause protects motivation. A stable external cause such as a permanently weak squad still lowers expectation and persistence. Believing high ability alone guarantees persistence. Motivation depends on the attribution made, not only on actual ability.

What are the exam tips for Attribution theory in Physical Education AQA A-Level?

Name the three dimensions (locus, stability, controllability) before applying them to a sporting example. Chain the logic explicitly: attribution, then expectation, then motivation, then persistence. Use one named sport example and vary only the attribution to show the effect on persistence.

AQA · A-Level · Physical Education

Course version: 7582 · Version from Sept 2016

Link between attribution, task persistence and motivation.

Full specification wording

Attribution theory: Link between attribution, task persistence and motivation.

Attribution theory explains how a performer explains a result, and those explanations shape what happens next.

Checked against the AQA 7582 specification (opens in a new tab) on 10 November 2026.

Point 3 of 8
4 key terms

Study notes

From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

The idea

What earns the marks

Attribution is the perceived cause a performer gives for success or failure.
Weiner classifies causes by locus, stability and controllability.
Stable and uncontrollable attributions after failure lower expectation of future success.
Reduced expectation lowers motivation, so the performer gives up and persistence falls.
Controllable, unstable attributions such as effort or strategy keep motivation and persistence high.
Coaches can shape attributions through feedback to protect motivation and persistence.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Treating attribution as the objective cause of the result.
Put it right: It is the performer's perceived cause, so two athletes can explain one result differently.
Assuming any external cause protects motivation.
Put it right: A stable external cause such as a permanently weak squad still lowers expectation and persistence.
Believing high ability alone guarantees persistence.
Put it right: Motivation depends on the attribution made, not only on actual ability.
Confusing motivation with persistence.
Put it right: Motivation is the drive to act, while persistence is continuing that action over time.

Exam tips

Name the three dimensions (locus, stability, controllability) before applying them to a sporting example.
Chain the logic explicitly: attribution, then expectation, then motivation, then persistence.
Use one named sport example and vary only the attribution to show the effect on persistence.

Try the lesson

The start of the Attribution theory: Link between attribution, task persistence and motivation. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

Have a go first

A badminton player loses a close game and says afterwards that she simply lacks the talent to compete at this level. According to the link between attribution, persistence and motivation, what is the most likely effect on her future effort?

Tip: press 1 to 4 to choose

Listen

Attribution theory explains how a performer explains a result, and those explanations shape what happens next. Weiner's model classifies causes by locus (internal or external), stability (stable or unstable) and controllability. A footballer who attributes a missed penalty to lack of ability (internal, stable, uncontrollable) expects failure again, so motivation drops and persistence ends. The same miss attributed to a poor pitch (external, unstable, uncontrollable) or insufficient practice (internal, unstable, controllable) protects expectation of future success. High motivation sustains effort; sustained effort raises persistence, so the performer keeps practising and re-entering tasks. Coaches therefore guide attributions towards controllable, unstable causes after failure and internal causes after success. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Attribution is the perceived cause a performer gives for success or failure. Weiner classifies causes by locus, stability and controllability. Stable and uncontrollable attributions after failure lower expectation of future success. Reduced expectation lowers motivation, so the performer gives up and persistence falls. Exam tip: Name the three dimensions (locus, stability, controllability) before applying them to a sporting example.

See it

A top-down flowchart. The first node is the attribution, the perceived cause of a result, which leads to a node classifying it by locus, stability and controllability. This splits into two branches. The left branch is a stable, uncontrollable attribution after failure, which leads to lower expectation of future success, then motivation drops, then persistence falls and the performer gives up. The right branch is a controllable, unstable attribution after failure, which leads to expectation of future success being protected, then motivation stays high, then sustained effort raises persistence, then the performer keeps practising and re-entering tasks. — It shows how a performer's attribution of a result is classified and then leads, through expectation and motivation, to either reduced or sustained persistence.

Key words

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Attribution

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Weiner's dimensions

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Motivation

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Persistence

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See every definition

Attribution: The perceived cause a performer gives for success or failure.
Weiner's dimensions: Classification of causes by locus, stability and controllability.
Motivation: The drive to act, which drops when stable and uncontrollable attributions after failure lower expectation of future success.
Persistence: Continuing an action over time, which falls when reduced expectation lowers motivation so the performer gives up.

Label the diagram

Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart. The first node is the attribution, the perceived cause of a result, which leads to a node classifying it by locus, stability and controllability. This splits into two branches. The left branch is a stable, uncontrollable attribution after failure, which leads to lower expectation of future success, then motivation drops, then persistence falls and the performer gives up. The right branch is a controllable, unstable attribution after failure, which leads to expectation of future success being protected, then motivation stays high, then sustained effort raises persistence, then the performer keeps practising and re-entering tasks.

1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3

0 of 3 labelled

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Study notes

The idea

What earns the marks

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Exam tips

Try the lesson

Have a go first

Listen

See it

Key words

Label the diagram

Test your understanding of Attribution theory: Link between attribution, task persistence and motivation.

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