The contrast between depressive and non-depressive attributional styles can be illustrated by a student who performs poorly on a law school admissions test. If the student adopts a depressive attributional style, they might explain the failure with a stable and global cause, thinking, 'I lack intelligence, and it’s going to prevent me from ever finding a meaningful career.' In contrast, a student with a non-depressive style might attribute the same event to an unstable and specific cause, such as, 'I was sick the day of the exam, so my low score was a fluke.' The former style fosters a sense of powerlessness, while the latter allows for the possibility of future success.