Abstract

Four experiments were conducted to determine the effects that attribution and performance informations have on observers' evaluation of the performer. Observers evaluated performers, artificial stimulus persons, on four dimensions: ability, modesty, honesty, and likability. Self-serving internal attribution for success and external attributions for failure produced low evaluations in general. In contrast, counter self-serving attributions produced higher evaluations. These tendencies were especially strong when performed tasks were thought to be externally determined. 1n the evaluations of performer's ability, performance results were the important determinant. It was especially true when the task is highly ego involved. When the tasks are presumably externally determined, however, attribution informations made significant contribution. Self-serving attributions produced low evaluation on the modesty dimension, and counter self-serving attributions vice versa. And when a other person, a partner, is involved in task and attribution, modesty evaluations became extreme. Honesty evaluations were not sifnigicantly affected by independent variables so much as other dependent measures were. Likability evaluations were strongly affected by performance results when tasks were internally determined. In case of externally determined tasks, performance results x attribution was the most influential factor on the likability evaluation. Interrelationships among dependent variables were examined through multiple regression analyses. In general, modesty ratings were the most powerful predictor. The implications and limitations of these results are discussed.