| Abstract: | Explanations of differences in the size of expectancy changes following task outcomes are considered. The control perception hypothesis, the most frequently proposed explanation, is that small expectancy shifts occur when task outcomes are perceived to be externally (i.e., chance) controlled. An alternative explanation, the expectancy confidence hypothesis, is that small shifts occur when Ss are relatively confident of the accuracy of their expectations. Two experiments with 120 female undergraduates examined these positions. Exp I partially replicated the study of J. B. Rotter et al (1961), often cited as supporting the control perception hypothesis. Expectancy confidence was assessed, and as predicted by the expectancy confidence hypothesis, expectancy shifts were related negatively to expectancy confidence. Skill perceptions and levels of expectancy confidence were maniplated in Exp II, and their impact was assessed by several expectancy shift measures. Expectancy confidence influenced expectancy shifts as predicted for 4 of 5 measures, whereas skill perceptions did not significantly affect expectancy shifts on any measure. Expectancy confidence thus exerts a substantial impact on expectancy shifts. The relevance of the findings for a 3rd explanation of expectancy shifts, the causal stability hypothesis, is discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
