An experiment tested the hypothesis that causal attributions for self-standard discrepancies determine whether the motivation to reduce such discrepancies results in changing self toward standards or changing standards toward self. In this experiment, individuals who were either high or low in self-focus were led to direct attention either toward their performance or toward the standard for that performance immediately following a self-standard discrepancy induction. Predictions under high self-focus conditions were confirmed. High self-focus persons who focused on the standard attributed more causality for their performance to that cognitive element than to self and changed the standard toward self more than did high self-focus persons who focused on their performance and vice versa. Implications of these findings for theories involving operation of the self-to-standard type of system are discussed.

Research indicates that self‐attribution of responsibility for various types of problems is affected by a number of variables, including number of bystanders, persuasive communications, and focus of attention. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that attributions of responsibility are also influenced by cognitive appraisal of sufficiency of resources relative to the magnitude of the problem in question. When circumstances indicate that self is the most plausible locus of responsibility, attribution to self will occur only if the person also assesses his or her resources as being sufficient to fulfill the obligations implied upon locating responsibility for problem solution in self. The converse is also held to be true. Results confirmed this hypothesis. Implications of this theoretical approach for various theories that include attribution of responsibility to self as a critical factor are discussed.

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