NCJ Number
67561
Date Published
1980
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE CONCEPTS AND PROVIDES EMPIRICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTRIBUTION THEORY FOR UNDERSTANDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESSES.
Abstract
ATTRIBUTION THEORY FOCUSES ON HOW PEOPLE EXPLAIN THE CAUSES OF BEHAVIOR. THE PROCESS OF MAKING CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO STEPS--CAUSAL ASSIGNMENT WHERE THE OBSERVER MUST DECIDE WHETHER THE BEHAVIOR WAS CAUSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL OR DISPOSITIONAL FACTORS, AND DISPOSITIONAL INFERENCES WHERE THE OBSERVER CAN DECIDE WHICH SPECIFIC DISPOSITIONS WERE IMPORTANT. THESE TWO FOCI ARE CONSIDERED SEQUENTIALLY, DRAWING ON KELLEY'S INSIGHTS FOR CAUSAL ASSIGNMENT AND JONE AND DAVIS' THEORY OF CORRESPONDENT INFERENCES FOR THE DISPOSITIONAL FACTOR. THE SYNTHESIS OF THEORIZING ON THESE TWO COMPONENT STEPS IS ALSO DISCUSSED. THE ADVANTAGES OF AN ATTRIBUTION THEORY APPROACH TO LEGAL PHENOMENA ARE OUTLINED. THE CLASSIC CONCERNS OF ATTRIBUTION THEORIESTS ARE SEEN AS CLOSE IN NATURE TO THE CONCERNS OF LEGAL DECISIONMAKERS. GIVEN THE NOTION OF DISCRETION, LEGAL DECISIONMAKERS NATURALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE CAUSES OF AN OFFENDERS ACTIONS AND ATTRIBUTION THEORY UNIQUELY PROVIDES AN UNDERSTANDING OF OF CAUSAL INFERENCES, AND THE CONSEQUENCES THAT SUCH INFERENCES MAY HAVE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. ALTHOUGH NOT THE ONLY PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY FOR GUIDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, ATTRIBUTIONAL CONCEPTS ARE SALIENT FOR DECISIONMAKERS AND CAN BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER THEORETICAL MODELS EMPLOYED IN PSYCHOLOGY-LAW INTERFACE. ATTRIBUTION RESEARCH IS CURRENTLY BEING DONE ON SUCH TOPICS AS SENTENCING AND PAROLE, INTERACTION OF POLICE WITH CITIZENS, CREDIBILITY OF COURTROOM TESTIMONY, AND CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (MJW)