What term refers to the tendency to link achievements to one's own efforts or abilities?

The term that refers to the tendency to link achievements to one's own efforts or abilities is known as an internal locus of control. This concept describes an individual's belief that they have control over the outcomes of their life, attributing success or failure to their own actions, decisions, and abilities. When individuals possess an internal locus of control, they are more likely to take responsibility for their achievements and feel empowered to influence their circumstances through their efforts.

This perspective fosters motivation and resilience, as people with an internal locus of control believe that their personal actions can bring about desired results, encouraging them to put forth effort and persist in challenges. This understanding is critical in early childhood education, as promoting a sense of personal agency in young learners can enhance their confidence and learning experiences.

While attribution theory broadly categorizes the reasons individuals give for their successes and failures, including external factors, it does not exclusively focus on the internal belief system as the internal locus of control does. Other concepts like self-perception and social learning emphasize different aspects of how individuals relate to their environments and derive meanings from their experiences, but they do not specifically address the connection to personal effort and abilities as does the internal locus of control.