Students Were Asked to Imagine That They Had Received an a or an F

Multiple Choice

Students were asked to imagine that they had received an A or an F in a required course. Then they were asked to rank various possible causes for that mark. Among those who imagined an excellent mark, men attributed their success to ability while women emphasized effort. What happened when they imagined a failing mark?

A) both men and women attributed failure to bad luck
B) men blamed it on bad luck and women on lack of ability
C) men blamed it on lack of effort, and women to lack of ability
D) men blamed it on lack of ability and women on lack of effort
E) both men and women blamed it on lack of effort