Effects of Attributions on Group Communication and Performance - Annotated Bibliography Example

Weiner’s influential theory of achievement motivation and emotion is used to ground the theory of the study. The study attempts to explain how different attributions of group failure, whether to self, group, other members or situational constraints, impact task effort, communication, performance and procedural changes. Bazarova and Hancock tested their hypothesis through a controlled experiment, and wherein three-member groups were given two-step tasks and, after presenting their work, were all given negative feedback. The feedback involved attributional manipulation directing the failure responsibility to one of the four attributes being studied, as mentioned above.

Their findings show that attributions to internal causes, self or group, led to increasing in efforts, thus showing improvement in communication and performance. Blaming other members result in a decline of communication and performance. And attributions to situational constraints triggered discussions and changes in communication factors. They, therefore, conclude that attributions influence group behaviour.