Attribution theory is a psychological theory that deals with how individuals perceive the causes of everyday experiences, as being either external or internal. It is concerned with how ordinary people explain the causes of behavior and events. The theory assumes that people try to determine why others do what they do, i.e., attribute causes to behavior. Key features of attribution theory include:
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Perceived Locus of Causality: This refers to the perception of ones environment and whether an experience is perceived as being caused by factors outside the person's control (external) or as the person's own doing (internal) .
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Covariation Model: This is a logical model developed by Harold Kelley for judging whether a particular action should be attributed to some characteristic (dispositional) of the person or the environment (situational) .
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Three-Stage Process: A three-stage process underlies an attribution, which involves observing behavior, determining whether the behavior was intentional, and then determining whether the behavior was due to internal or external factors.
Attribution theory is closely associated with the concept of motivation and how individuals relate to the social world. It has been influential in the field of social psychology and has been further developed by researchers such as Bernard Weiner.
