THE INFLUENCES OF GOAL-RELATED ACTIONS AND GOAL INFORMATION ON CHILDRENS EFFORT AND ABILITY PERCEPTIONS IN INTERPERSONAL SITUATIONS

The influences of qualitatively different goal-related actions and goa l valence information on children's perceptions of effort and ability in an interpersonal judgment context were investigated, using Heider's (1958) analysis of action theory as a conceptual framework. Kindergar tners, 2nd graders, and 5th graders heard stories that depicted actors engaged in 3 repetitive actions or 3 equifinal actions in order to at tain either a positive or negative interpersonal goal. For each story, children judged the actor's effort expenditure and ability level. Res ults indicate that repetitive actors were perceived to have tried less and to have had less ability than equifinal actors. Kindergartners' m ean rating of the ability of repetitive actors was higher than those o f 2nd graders and 5th graders. Positive goal actors were perceived to have more ability than negative goal actors.