Attribution/Attribution Theory

Authors: Bertram F Malle

Publish Date: 2013

Volume: , Issue: , Pages: 173-177

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Abstract

In social psychology the term attribution has at least two meanings the first refers to explanations of behavior ie answers to whyquestions and the second refers to inferences or ascriptions eg inferring traits from behavior ascribing blame to a person What the two meanings have in common in science as in dictionary definitions is a process of assigning in attribution as explanation a behavior is assigned to its cause in attribution as inference some attribute eg a personality trait or blame is assigned to the agent on the basis of the behavior Despite the connection between these processes they have distinct psychological characteristics and have evolved in two distinct historic lines of research Both originate in work by Austrian philosopher and psychologist

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