Reports 6 experiments which relate achievement motivation to causal ascription. Exp. I, II, and III revealed that the evaluation of achievement-related outcomes is positively related to the amount of expended effort, but inversely related to level of ability. Evaluative differences between social classes (Exp. II), and disparities between self- and other-judgments (Exp. III) also were examined. In Exp. IV and V individual differences in locus of causality were related to level of achievement needs. Results indicate that Ss high in resultant achievement motivation are more likely to take personal responsibility for success than Ss low in achievement motivation. Clear differences in perceived responsibility for failure were not exhibited between the 2 motive groups. In Exp. VI risk-preference behavior and J. W. Atkinson's (see 33:2) theory of achievement motivation were construed in attribution theory language. It is contended that cognitions about causality mediate between level of achievement needs and performance. (36 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)