Attributions are a person's reason for why something happened. They become interesting as we watch patterns of interactions across time.

For each reason, is the person attributing the anger to the person (personality or disposition) who got angry or to reasons outside the person? Does the reason suggest that this will happen over and over again (stable/on-going) or do they think this is a one time thing (temporary/unstable)?    (If you need more info, describe what info you need.)

There are examples worked out below.

According to this reason, why did "I" get mad?

1. She told me she couldn't be my friend because of a deal she had made with her boyfriend not to deal with ex's unless it was necessary. I told her that was lame and I got pissed. Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 2. We fought because there was a high stress level that was built up and held in by each of us. Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 3. He asked me what I thought of his show. So I told him and he said "Why did I ask you anyway?" He takes criticism hard. {so I got mad} Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 4. She raised her voice to me about chipping in money for charcoal, when I had already put more money into the party than she had. {so I got mad} Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 5. We always fight about doing bills. We get mad at a situation we can't control. {so I got mad} Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable?

Why did "A" (someone else) get angry?

1. A. has a bad temper and gets mad easily. Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 2. A. & F. fought because F. is a liar. She [F.] lied to him and everybody. {so A. got mad} Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 3. He couldn't win the conversation and he didn't understand the concept. He (A) got mad and flipped her off. Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 4. This man started cursing at A. They guy was wrong so A. got mad. Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable? 5. B is a bi*** and after harassing A for $3, A blew up and told her what a lot of us secretly thought. {this is the reason for A's anger} Situation or Personality? Stableor Unstable?

Is there a pattern?

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Examples with answers

Question: Why did someone else get mad?

Attribution: She got mad because he was acting like a jerk.

The behavior is her anger.

Is it something inside her (disp.) or something or someone outside her that is causing her anger (situational)?

Is he always a jerk (Unstable) or was this just a jerky thing (temporary)?

Question: Why did someone else get mad?

She got mad at her mom because her mom went through her stuff.

Does she think her behavior is due to her (dispositional) or her mom (situational)?

Question: Why did you get mad?

Attribution: I got mad because I was tired.

Attribution: I get mad because I am frustrated.

What is causing frustration?

Are you a frustrated person? (disp., Unstable)

Were you in a frustrated mood that day? (disp. temp.)

This _____ is making me frustrated. (situational)

Question: Why were other people speeding?

Attribution: They are in a hurry.

Question: Why are they in a hurry?

Attributions:

I am hurried because I schedule to many things in my life  - dispositional (are you always scheduling too many things?)

I am hurried because I try to do too much. - dispositional (do you always try to do too much?)

I am hurried because others expect me to do more than I can. - situational (whenever I turn around someone is asking me to do something -- on-going)

I am hurried because my son goes so slow.  situational (implies on-going, if they said "because he went slow", it would imply one time thing)

Question: Why did she lose something?

Attribution: Because she is careless.

She lost it because of the way she is. Does the way this attribution is phrased sound like it is a regular thing with her?

mood - generally dispositional, temporary.

trait - generally dispositional, Unstable.

traffic is interesting:

Attribution: I was late because of the traffic.

Question: When you are late for work, why?

Speeding ticket:

I got a speeding ticket because I always speed.

I got a speeding ticket because I was rushing today.

I got a speeding ticket because the police were really out in force today.

I got a speeding ticket because a cop was hiding, waiting for me, like they always do. They have nothing better to do.

Sometimes you need more information

"I was late because I overslept" --- s/he is saying they overslept, sounds like it is their fault. Do they do this often? Yes - permanent, No - temporary

more info:    

"I was late because I overslept, the clock failed." - more situational

"I was late because I overslept because my roommate kept me up, he is always doing that." - more situational and more permanent.

"He forgot our anniversary" - yes situational (not me, his fault)  Does he often forget important things that make you angry? Yes - on-going, No- temporary

she is a grouch - good, classic personality permanent reason.

Do you think people are more likely to say something like that about others than themselves?

She pushed me and I hit her: if she does that a lot, or if people are pushing him a lot, then permanent, if a one time thing, then temporary.

Safeco Field: (from a recent interview with Aaron Sele by Mike Gastinou)

Hitters say it's a pitcher's park.
Pitchers say it's a fair park.

Sele says something to the effect of, "yeah, the Kingdome was a joke, pop up home runs"
later, they talk about the Kingdome as " a place where if you made a mistake, you're in trouble."

In the first pair,  notice the self serving bias.  In the second pair, notice the phrasing; what is the impact of rephrasing it the second way?

Attribution Examples from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

All the "who's" are Victor.

"Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction."

Destiny is an obvious one, no?

Notice that at the end of the chapter, he seems to be summing up the experience described, and thus making more general attributions about the whole experience.

"I would account to myself for the birth of that passion, which afterwards ruled my destiny, I find it arise, like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources..."

What causes most of his life? His passion

What causes his passion? "ignoble and almost forgotten sources" - you must read on to find out.

"I would account to myself" confusing, possible multiple interpretations:

taking account of -

holding himself accountable

Event: continued to read Agrippa

Attribution: because my father didn't "take the pains to explain to me"

Type: blames dad (external to Victor, internal to dad). stable? Does he blame dad for a bunch of things?

"Natural philosophy is the genius that has regulated my fate.

Event: "my fate" - that's large. which events might he be referring to? at this point, we don't know.

Attribution: to natural philosophy

Type of attribution: external, stable - it ruled his whole fate.

"I have described myself as always having been imbued with fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature."

Event: scientific studies

Attribution: his personality has longing

Type of attribution: internal ("myself"), stable ("always having been imbued")

"In spite of the intense labour and wonderful discoveries of modern philosophers, I always came from my studies discontented and unsatisfied."

Event: feeling of discontent and lack of satisfaction

Attribution: not to the modern philosophers ("in spite of")

one good interpretation: because my drive to know, unquenching thirst to learn everything.

Type of attribution: internal, stable? sounds like thirst continues. hard to know from this sentence.

p.23

"It was thus that I was to be taught to associate evil with their [study of alchemy] prosecution, happiness with their disregard."

Event: giving up studies of alchemy

Attribution: "was to be taught" - passive voice. Taught by whom? By his guardian angel? By things thrown at him by life?

Type of attribution: clearly external, could be stable or unstable

Event: giving up studies of alchemy

Attribution: "...was the immediate suggestion of my guardian angel - the last effort made by the spirit of preservation..."

Type of attribution: external, unstable because this is the last time