When 14-year-old Valerie discovers that she has gotten an A on the last assignment, she expresses pride to her teacher and explains that she worked very hard on it.On the way home from school, however, she tells her friends that she did not put much effort into the project at all and so is quite surprised about her high grade.From the perspective of attribution theory, how can we best explain Valerie's conflicting statements?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Valerie's conflicting statements can be explained by her understanding of the values held by different audiences. She tells her teacher she worked hard because she knows the teacher values hard work. Conversely, she downplays her effort to her friends, likely because she believes they do not value hard work in the same way, and she wants to align with their expectations or norms.

When 14-Year-Old Valerie Discovers That She Has Gotten an a on the Last