Attribution Theory, what is it:

Attribution Theory, what is it:
Attribution Theory is a psychological framework that explains how people interpret and assign causes to behavior - either their own or others’. Developed primarily by Fritz Heider and later expanded by Harold Kelley and Bernard Weiner, it helps us understand why someone behaved a certain way.
Core Idea:

People try to make sense of behavior by attributing it to internal or external causes.
Two Main Types of Attribution:

Internal (Dispositional) Attribution
The behavior is due to the person’s personality, traits, motives, or choices.
Example: “She failed the exam because she’s lazy.”

External (Situational) Attribution
The behavior is caused by outside circumstances or the environment.
Example: “She failed the exam because the test was too hard.”

Key Models:

Heider’s Theory (1958):
We are “naive psychologists” trying to understand others’ behavior through cause-and-effect.

Kelley’s Covariation Model (1967):
 People make attributions by considering:
Consensus: Do others behave the same way?
Distinctiveness: Is this behavior unusual for the person?
Consistency: Does this behavior happen repeatedly?

Weiner’s Attribution Theory (1986):
 Focused on achievement and motivation and categorized causes along three dimensions:
Locus (internal vs. external)
Stability (stable vs. unstable over time)
Controllability (controllable vs. uncontrollable)

Why It Matters:

Attribution shapes how we judge others, react emotionally, and decide how to act. For instance:
In education, teachers’ attributions about student performance affect expectations and feedback.
In relationships, how we explain a partner’s actions can increase or reduce conflict.
In mental health, people who attribute negative events to internal, stable, and uncontrollable causes may be more prone to depression.

Shervan K Shahhian