Empirical research clearly documents that attributions of failure to l
ack of ability result in less punishment from others than do ascriptio
ns to lack of effort. In addition, personal attributions of failure to
lack of ability result in worse subsequent performance than do ascrip
tions to an absence of effort. This paper provides a conceptual analys
is of these empirical findings. The interpretation is guided by a taxo
nomy of causal thinking and by presuming that emotions mediate between
causal thinking and action. In addition, a distinction is drawn betwe
en a process versus a functional understanding of achievement striving
s.