Attribution TheoryRyan Ruud COMM 634

DiscussionBackground on the theory

Examples of application Success/Failure Romantic Jealousy

Communications Public Relations and Crisis Corporate Social Responsibility

Discussion

BackgroundBernard Weiner (1980, 1992)

Social Psychology and Motivation Theory

Continues to be updated, with new updates most relevant to Communications

Explores the explanations people tend to make to explain success or failure

Three characteristics in early theoryCause of success/failure may be internal or

external

Cause of success/failure may be stable or unstable

Cause of success/failure may be controllable or uncontrollable

Assumes people will interpret environment to maintain positive self-image

The theory evolvesBroken down into interpersonal and

intrapersonal experiences

Refined focus on Causation Responsibility Blame Intentionality Controllability

ApplicationsSuccess/FailureAcademic successes

Likelihood and forecasting

ApplicationsRomantic Jealousy Examined the perception of romantic advances

within partner relationship and outside

Explored perceptions and cause

Outcomes

Negative events judged to be due to Personal causes allow for the assignment of blame, whereas those having Impersonal causes do not (Weiner, 1995).

Or to put it another way . . .

Negative events judged to be due to organization fault and causes allow for the assignment of blame, whereas those having external causes (act of God etc.) do not.

Powerful theoryManaging crisis

What are traits of a crisis?Unexpected

Negative

Both are traits, according to Attribution Theory, that drive a person’s need for explanation

Attribution Theory & Crisis CommunicationFirst true studies began in the 1980s

Can be applied to a variety of crises Product Harm (Siomkos & Kurzbard, 1994).

Ethical Crises (Bradford & Garrett, 1995).

Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) rooted in Attribution Theory

Two parts: Reputation before, mangement after crisis.

Attribution Theory in CommunicationsAssess the threat

Determine initial crisis responsibility Examine intensifying factors

Consistency Has this happened before?

Distinctiveness Prior reputation

Attribution TheoryCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Prior Reputation

Consumers give incentive to companies that are responsible

Perception again is key (attribution theory plays out in the function of assigning incentive)

Can disarm consumers in light of a crisis (attribution theory plays out in the SCCT notion of distinctiveness

(Yoon, 2006)

Attribution Theory in Action2007 Samsung Group Korean Oil Spill

Oil spill was result of something Samsung did Oil spill was the result of rough weather

Respondent exposed to varying levels of distinctiveness CSR, unethical management, no change

Distinctiveness (perception) can diffuse negative perception and attribution

Key TakeawaysThe need for explanation

How people rationalize the explanation Controllable/ uncontrollable etc.

Place blame, or “get out of jail free” card

Proactive PR CSR

Reactive PR Crisis management (Attribution Theory ->

Situational Crisis Communication Theory)

Bauerle, S. Y., Amirkhan, J. H., & Hupka, R. B. (2002). An Attribution Theory Analysis of Romantic Jealousy. Motivation & Emotion, 26(4), 297-319.

Coombs, W. (2007). Attribution Theory as a guide for post-crisis communication research. Public Relations Review, 33(2), 135-139. doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2006.11.016

Doohwang, L., Hyuk Soo, K., & Jung Kyu, K. (2011). The Impact of Online Brand Community Type on Consumer's Community Engagement Behaviors: Consumer-Created vs. Marketer-Created Online Brand Community in Online Social-Networking Web Sites. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 14(1/2), 59-63. doi:10.1089/cyber.2009.0397

Jeong, S. (2009). Public's Responses to an oil spill accident: A test of the attribution theory and situational crisis communication theory. Public Relations Review, 35(3), 307-309. doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.03.010

Laczniak, R. N., DeCarlo, T. E., & Ramaswami, S. N. (2001). Consumers' Responses to Negative Word-of-Mouth Communication: An Attribution Theory Perspective. Journal Of Consumer Psychology (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), 11(1), 57-73.

Latta, R., & Patten, R. L. (1978). A test of Weiner's attribution theory inertial motivation hypothesis. Journal Of Personality, 46(2), 383. doi:10.1111/1467-6494.ep7380444

Weiner, B. (2000). Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Theories of Motivation from an Attributional Perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 12(1), 1-14.

Weiner, B. (2010). The Development of an Attribution-Based Theory of Motivation: A History of Ideas. Educational Psychologist, 45(1), 28-36. doi:10.1080/00461520903433596

Yates, S. (1998). ATTRIBUTIONS ABOUT THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF CATACLYSMIC EVENTS. Journal Of Personal & Interpersonal Loss, 3(1), 7-24

Yoon, Y., Gürhan-Canli, Z., & Schwarz, N. (2006). The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Activities on Companies With Bad Reputations. Journal Of Consumer Psychology (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), 16(4), 377-390. doi:10.1207/s15327663jcp1604_9

 

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