Attribution Study in English Learning

徐翠

Abstract: Based on the elaboration on literature in the field of attribution in language learning, this essay summarizes the definition, classification and the development of attribution study in English learning both at home and abroad.

Keywords: Attribution; English learning

1. Introduction

The interior individual learner factors has been gaining the concern of linguists and language teachers since mid 1970s. Attribution, as one of these interior individual learner factors, is elaborated on from perspective of English learning in this essay. Based on the reservoir of literature in the field, this essay is going to focus on the development of attribution study both at home and abroad.

2. Definition of Attribution Theory

As one of the most renowned experts, Weiner [1] summarizes the

theory by saying “attribution theory assumes that people try to determine why people do what they do, that is, interpret causes to an event or behavior”. He further explains that “the guiding principal of attribution theory is that an individuals search for understanding, seeking to discover why an event has occurred”.

3. Classifications of Attribution Study

Attribution can be divided into two categories, i.e., external attribution and internal attribution. Through external attribution, people are subjected to no responsibility when an unpleasant outcome occurs. And things

matters differently for internal attribution. [2]

4. Development of Attribution Study in English Learning

4.1 Attribution Study in the West

Heider [3]believes that people act on the basis of their beliefs.

Therefore, beliefs must be taken into account if psychologists were to

account for human behavior.

Kelley [2]advanced Heiders theory by adding hypotheses about

factors that affect the formation of attributions, consistency information, distinctiveness information and consensus information.

According to Weiner [1], attributions are classified along three causal dimensions: locus of control, stability and controllability, and the most

important factors affecting attribution are ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck.

4.2 Attribution Study in China

There are also many researchers from China constituting a substantial body of research on attribution in the area of education, especially in

second language acquisition.

Xu xianqiao and Li min [4]s study indicates that students who attribute their successes of language study to their own learning abilities and efforts are more likely to feel happy and proud of themselves, these positive feelings may help them to enhance their confidents to learn language better. Lan xiaoxiao[5] goes through her study of attribution on English learners and believes that effort is the most important factor contributing to success. Learners should be told that effort is controllable, and it is the main reason of successful learning, it helps learners to stimulate their learning motivation.

According to Su Honglei and Wang Qiuhong [6], students of different grades and different sexes will attribute their English learning to different aspects. They also put forward some countermeasures to solve the problem.

Lv Yan and Deng Guidong [7] have done a research of freshmens attribution preference of English learning. The results of English learning survey show that the attribution preference of freshmen is big difference between the low achievers and the high ones except that the former are more concerned with the factors of study methods.

References

[1] Weiner, B. Cognitive views of Human Motivation. [M].New York:

Academic Press, 1974.

[2] Kelley, H. H. The Processes of Causal Attribution.[J]. American

Psychologist, 1973(28): 107-128.

[3] Heider, F. The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations.[M]. New York: Wiley, 1958.

[4]徐先乔, 李敏. 成败归因与大学英语教学. [J]. 内江科技, 2006 (08): 55-57.

[5] 兰笑笑. 英语学习成功者的归因研究.[J]. 三峡大学报（人文社会科学版）, 2007 (06): 213-215.

[6] 苏红蕾, 王秋红. A Survey of Senior Middle School Students' Attribution Inclination in English Learning.[J]. 宁波教育学院学报, 2008 (03): 102-112.

[7] 吕燕, 邓桂东. A Survey of freshmens Attribution Preference of English Learning [J]. 安徽工业大学学报(社会科学版), 2008 (01): 120-122.