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Some Sage Suggestions lowering along with other cognitive declines due to the aging process. That perhaps Bernard Weiner describes my current state, hopefully before the decline, so it is unfortunate that the editors did not start this series many years ago and invite me at that time (making the very questionable supposal that I passed their wisdom test). A Bit of Personal History To perhaps confirm their wisdom regarding my invitation, the editors asked that I discuss myself, giving “a bit of your history [and] your major contributions.” Regarding history, I was an undergraduate at the University of Chicago (UC), under a Great Books program. That means the undergraduate students read only classics, The esteemed editors of this series assume had the same liberal arts major, and became that those of an advanced age (me) are also smart (wise?) but knew nothing current wise (who, me?). That is a questionable about any field of study. Following this assumption. At an earlier time, there was an degree, I remained at UC (as did most empirical literature on this topic, in part undergrads since they were not qualified for conducted by Paul Baltes, although I do not graduate programs) and obtained an MBA know the final conclusions. But if there is an with an interest in labor relations. After age-wisdom relation, it is correlational and it unavoidably laboring two years in the U.S. may not be that increasing age (experience) Army, I returned to academics and the increases wisdom, but rather that the wise University of Michigan for my Ph.D. in are more likely to survive. The latter psychology. This choice was in great part explanation is consistent with a biological influenced by Professor Harold Leavitt, a (Darwinian) viewpoint. If that is the case, student of Kurt Lewin, who hired me as a then the editors could also invite younger research assistant while I was at UC. I people if they were able to identify became acquainted with him because I (measure) wisdom. Also, it is likely that the enrolled in his seminar on Organizational age-wisdom relation is not linear but rather Psychology, my first psychology course. I curvilinear such that wisdom increases with came to Michigan to follow in his footsteps age, peaks, and then is followed by a and study organizational psychology, but my Weiner, B. (2018, May 23). Some sage suggestions. Acquired Wisdom Series, edited by S. Tobias, D. F. Fletcher, & D. Berliner. Education Review, 25. http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/er.v25.2389 Acquired Wisdom 2 chosen advisor was on sabbatical and I was assigned to Dr. John Atkinson, a renowned motivation psychologist. Soon that became my research direction, with Atkinson as my mentor. However, for many years I have been primarily identified as a social psychologist, for reasons I will soon give, so my academic career traveled from liberal arts to business to organizational psychology to motivation psychology to social psychology. And in truth I harbor the belief that I should have been a lawyer focusing on criminal justice. The reader can now understand why I have some hesitancy in defining myself as wise. Fritz Heider (far left), Bernard Weiner (middle), and Harold Kelley (far right) in 1975. The vast majority of my research was conducted at the University of far right) my colleague at UCLA for 30 years California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where I prior to his premature death. The fourth was a professor for 50 years (1965-2014). alternative, after me, was a throw in—I Since that time, I have been an Emeritus think Sigmund Freud or William James. In Professor and remain moderately active in any case, my contribution to psychology is psychology, writing wise certainly associated with chapters and essays what is known as such as this one. attribution theory. Regarding So what is this Contributions “attribution theory?” A few years ago I was Actually, it is not really a an incorrect answer on theory but rather a field the Graduate Records of study examining Exam (GRE). The perceived causality. For question was, “Who example, assume you see was the originator of Jim hitting Bill. You attribution theory?” might regard Jim as The correct answer is aggressive, that is, he is Fritz Heider, an the cause of this action. Austrian psychologist On the other hand, you who became a close might infer that Jim was friend in the latter part provoked by Bill so that of his life. Heider Bill is the cause of the (above photo, far left) behavior. Or perhaps was transcendentally both are members of wise. Another gangs competing for alternative, the second dominance, so that best answer, was Harold others are the cause. The Kelley, (above photo, seminal attribution Some sage suggestions 3 psychologists, including Heider and Kelley, locus (internal versus external to the examined such causal inferences, which person); stability (enduring versus often involve person perception. They were transient); and controllability (under social psychologists concerned about volitional control versus not interpersonal relationships. Included among controllable). For example, aptitude the issues raised were: Is there a tendency to as a cause of academic success is see others rather than the situation as causal? regarded as internal to the person, Do actors and observers make different stable, and not volitionally causal judgments? What information is used controllable. On the other hand, luck to reach causal judgments and are there or chance as the perceived cause of a systematic biases in reasoning? Even positive outcome is considered though I was only marginally associated with external to the actor, transient, but these particular issues, because my research also not controllable. Aptitude and concerned causal beliefs, I became labeled a chance therefore differ on two social psychologist. causal properties (locus and stability) Since my background was in the while sharing one characteristic study of achievement motivation, the (neither are perceived as subject to questions I examined from an attribution volitional change). perspective, along with their answers, Are there emotional and behavioral included: consequences given particular attributions and the properties of . In what situations do individuals those causes? This question leads search for causes? Answer: me to an attribution-based theory of particularly when the outcome of an motivation, which is my main event is negative and unexpected, such as failure at an exam when a good grade was anticipated, or in non-achievement settings, when your car does not start! . What are the perceived causes of success and failure? Answer: the primary perceived causes of success and failure are ability and effort, followed by task difficulty and luck. Given other outcomes and states, there are different sets of causes, again with a few prominent. For example, the main perceived causes of poverty are laziness and lack of thrift, along with little education and lack of available jobs. What properties or characteristics do causes share? The answer is among my most important contributions. Answer: causes share three properties so that they differ not only qualitatively but also quantitatively. The properties are Acquired Wisdom 4 contribution to psychology. someone due to low aptitude or a Extended wise answer: Each causal different uncontrollable cause gives dimension has unique consequences. rise to sympathy and pro-social Locus is related to self-esteem and behavior. pride in accomplishment; self-esteem Given this (as well as other unstated increments and pride are information), what might be a motivation experienced if and only if success is sequence in the achievement domain? ascribed to the self, or to extensions Assume a student fails an exam and of the self such as, for example, perceives the cause to be lack of math relatives, groups, and country. aptitude. Because the cause is internal, there Stability influences expectancy of is a lowering of self worth and self esteem; success; ascriptions to stable causes because the cause is stable, there is an result in an increased perceived expectancy of future failure; and since the likelihood that the past outcome will cause is internal and uncontrollable, there be repeated, whereas this is not the are feelings of humiliation, shame and case given unstable causality. For embarrassment. These lower motivation and example, success ascribed to high as a result perhaps the student drops out of ability creates the belief that success school. If the teacher has this same will occur again, whereas this is not attribution (he or she may not), then there is anticipated given a positive outcome again expectation of future difficulty but attributed to luck. Finally, control now accompanied by sympathy, which leads relates to evaluation and moral to helping behavior. Thus, there are two emotions including guilt and shame, parallel motivation episodes, respectively as well as anger and sympathy. For associated with the actor and the observer, example, if someone fails because of one related to achievement striving and the lack of effort, anger often is other to help-giving, but explained with the experienced followed by same theoretical system. The reader may punishment, whereas failure by play out motivation sequences given other causes – just insert the causal dimensions, the emotions and expectations, and then the behavior. I believe that this theory increased our understanding of the influence of both the head and the heart on motivated behavior as compared to prior theories of motivation. For further reading, extensive reviews can be found in some prior sources (Weiner, 1985, 1986, 1995, 2006, 2018). Bernard Weiner with dog, Freckles, in 2012. Some sage suggestions 5 Influences my research direction and add to the wave. The editors also asked “what personal and Advice situational factors [influenced your] work.” Thankfully, it is time to I already alluded to turn away from myself (I some: talked about me enough; why don’t you now talk .

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