The social functions of attributional face-saving tactics among early adolescents

A series of experiments that examine the social functions of failure accoun ts are reviewed. The findings with American students showed that by fourth grade (I) students understand that low ability and lack of effort attributi ons affect teacher and peer approval and (2) that students vary their own f ailure accounts in ways that are consistent with their beliefs regarding li nkages between attributions and social responses. Subsequent experiments we re conducted with Finnish students to investigate why early adolescents are willing to portray themselves as low in ability. Finnish students, like th eir American counterparts, preferred to convey to both teachers and peers t hat they failed because of low ability. They believed low ability accounts facilitate both teacher and peer approval as well as promote perceptions of self-effacement and honesty. The findings suggest that early adolescents a re motivated to tell liked others that their failures are due to lack of co mpetence because it offers a number of social benefits.