Mark and Francie are two eighth-grade students who have just failed a math test.
Considering gender differences in students' explanations for failure, how are the two
students likely to explain poor test performance?
Mark will think that he failed because he "just can't do math." Francie will think,
"I got an F because I didn't work hard enough on this subject-I could have
studied more."
Mark will think that he isn't very lucky when it comes to tests, and Francie will
think she failed because she didn't have her friends help her study.
Mark will attribute his failure to a lack of effort, thinking, "I didn't study very
hard because I don't need to get good grades." Francie will think, "I'm just not
very good at math."
Mark will think, "I got an F because I am not smart enough to do this math."
Francie will think, "I failed because the teacher hates me and the test wasn't fair."
