Attribution Theory

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The Attribution Theory by Fritz Heider is a method that can be used for evaluating how people perceive the behavior of themselves and of other people. Attribution theory is about how people make causal explanations. All behavior is considered to be determined by either internal or by external factors:

External Attribution: causality is assigned to an outside factor, agent or force. Outside factors fall outside your control. You perceive you have no choice. So your behavior is influenced, limited or even completely determined by influences outside your control. Therefore you feel not responsible. A generic example is the weather. Also called: Situational Attribution.

Internal Attribution: causality is assigned to an inside factor, agent or force. Inside factors fall inside your own control. You can choose to behave in a particular way or not. So your behavior is not influenced, limited or even completely determined by influences outside your control. Therefore you feel responsible. A typical example is your own intelligence. Also called: Dispositional Attribution.

One of the most amazing features of human beings is that we believe we can explain anything. Research by psychologists has revealed that most people are biased in their judgment of whom or what is responsible for an event or an action:

We tend to attribute the successes of others and our own failures to external factors. We perceive these as not their own merit and not our own fault. We tend to attribute our own successes and failures of others to internal factors. We perceive these as our own merit and their own fault.

Other factors that are believed to be relevant to attribution are:

Do we like another person or not?  If so, internal attributing is more likely in the case of success. Is there a reward or punishment attached to a behavior? If so, external attributing is more likely. Is the other person highly motivated to achieve or not? According to Weiner ('80), a high achiever will:

Approach rather than avoid tasks related to succeeding. Because he believes success is due to high ability and effort which he is confident of. Failure is thought to be caused by bad luck or a poor exam, i.e. not his fault. Thus, failure doesn't hurt his self-esteem but success builds pride and confidence.

Persist when the work gets hard rather than giving up. Because failure is assumed to be caused by a lack of effort, which he can change by trying harder.

Select challenges of moderate difficulty (50% success rate). Because the feedback from those tasks tells you more about how well you are doing, rather than very difficult or very easy tasks which tell you little about your ability or effectiveness. Work with a lot of energy because the results are believed to be determined by how hard you try.

Achievement can be attributed to at least four things:

Effort. An internal and unstable factor over which we can exercise a great deal of control.

Ability. A relatively internal and stable factor over which we do not exercise much direct control.

Level of task difficulty. An external and stable factor that is largely beyond our control.

Luck. An external and unstable factor over which we exercise very little control.

Source: HR Concepts

Compiled and Edited by

Mr. S. Murugesan - Lecturer

Dr. P. N. Narayana Raja - Principal

Madurai Institute of Social Sciences

(Run by: DVR Foundation for HRD)

Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India