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Team-referent attributions among sport performers
Iain Greenlees1, Andrew Lane, Richard Thelwell
1School of Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences, University of Chichester, Bishop Otter College, West Sussex, UK. i.greenlees@ucc.ac.uk
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
|June 7, 2006
Summary
This study developed the team-referent attribution scale (CDS-T) to measure how sports teams explain successes and failures. Findings show the scale accurately reflects team attributions and predicts performance outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Sport Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Measurement in Psychology
Background:
- Attribution theory explains how individuals interpret events and assign causes.
- Existing scales often focus on individual attributions, necessitating a team-focused measure.
- Understanding team attributions is crucial for explaining performance in group settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a reliable scale for measuring team-referent attributions.
- To adapt existing attributional measures for a team context.
- To assess the psychometric properties of the new scale, Causal Dimension Scale-T (CDS-T).
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Modified items from the Causal Dimension Scale II to create the 16-item CDS-T.
- Study 2: Employed confirmatory factor analysis with 433 team sport players to test attributional models.
- Study 3: Examined predictive validity using data from 201 team players, correlating attributions with performance outcomes.
Main Results:
- Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor model for the CDS-T (CFI = .961, RMSEA = .054).
- Winners reported more internal and stable attributions compared to losers.
- Successful performances were significantly associated with stable attributions.
Conclusions:
- The Causal Dimension Scale-T (CDS-T) is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing team attributions.
- The scale effectively differentiates attributions between winning and losing teams.
- Team attributions, particularly stability, are linked to perceived success in sports contexts.
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