Stress diary guide: Making Attributions as simplifying decision making and explaining our behaviors.

1. Stress Diary Journal Guides Guide 9: Attributions
Guide 9: Attributions
Stress Diary Journal Making Attributions
Your Guide The intricate process
that we go through in
order to identify the
What is an Attribution? causes for our
Research in attribution theory actions in order to maximize fundamental attribution error" behaviors, the
explores the intricate process one's chances for goal describes the tendency to view behaviors of others,
that we go through in order to attainment. too much of someone else’s
identify the causes for our behavior as related to internal
and for various life
behaviors, the behaviors of MAKING ATTRIBUTIONS FOR A factors. For instance, if a events, can be
others, and for various life HEALTHIER ATTITUDE person is fired from a job, we explained as an attempt
events. In attempt to better may think, "That person is to better understand
understand our environment we Simple Explanations for incompetent," even though we
tend to seek out the causes for Others' Behavior. could as easily think, "That job our environment . We
our behaviors, the behaviors of A natural human tendency is to was not right for that person." tend to seek out the
others, as well as for any simplify explanations, especially We tend to believe that the causes for our
pertinent events occurring explanations regarding the problems other people have are
around us. When we do this we due to some internal fault or
behaviors, the
behavior of other people. Even
are making attributions. We science teaches the importance flaw and we tend to behaviors of others, as
receive vital information from of being parsimonious; in other over-estimate the degree of the well as for any
this pursuit of "why?". It has words, don’t use a complex person's responsibility. pertinent events
been stated that becoming explanation when a simple one
"experts" on ourselves and our will do. However, many times Complex Explanations for Our occurring around us.
environment in this manner is a we over-simplify the cause of Own Behavior.
goal in and of itself, referred to behavior, both as individuals Interestingly, we tend to view When we do this we are
as the principle of mastery. In and as a science. our own behavior in a more making attributions.
this sense, making attributions complex manner: we attribute
for behaviors or events can Fundamental Attribution our own failures to external
function as a valuable system to Error. In social psychology, a factors and our successes to
guide future decisions and concept known as "the internal factors. If we get fired
from a job, we may think, "My because I’m an incompetent how much of the argument was
boss had it in for me," whereas, idiot." due to the other individual
if we get promoted, we may over-simplifying the reasons
think, "I am intelligent and How These Explanations for your behavior followed by
hard-working." Affect Us. your attempts to justify the ‘A stressors has
So why is all this important? behavior. You may be surprised a tendency,
This concept is even more Because the way we make to see how many
complex, however, because attributions about behavior disagreements relate to this when taking
individuals disposed to affects relationships and tendency to overlook the hold, to
depression think in the opposite self-esteem. If we over-simplify complexities of human behavior. accumulate
manner: they attribute their behavior, we may contribute to
failures to internal flaws and poor self-esteem, or ruin a For example, a woman tells her
manifold, until
their successes to luck. relationship. Think about a husband that he doesn’t care it is too late!
Therefore, in the same situation recent argument you had, about her because he forgot
of being fired from a job, they preferably one that focused on about her birthday. In this
may think, "I deserved it your behavior. Now think about example she simply equates

2. Page 2 Stress Diary Journal
forgetting her birthday with not the areas of learning history, attribution that his behavior
caring. However, from her current environmental indicated he didn’t care about
husband’s view, his forgetting stresses, and biological her. I'll leave it to your
may be much more complex. predispositions. None of them imagination what may happen
His family of origin may not have anything to do with next in their interaction due to
have celebrated birthdays, and whether he cares about his wife her not understanding the
so, his concept of the or not. complexity of his behavior.
importance of birthdays may be
different than his wife’s notion. What makes human behavior Understanding the complexity
Or, he may have been even more interesting is that of human behavior doesn’t
experiencing a number of the three possibilities mean that we excuse people’s
stressful situations that elaborated above may all be behavior; it just means we allow
required a great deal of energy. involved in a single behavior. for more complex explanations.
Or, the neurological make-up of Thus, the man above may have Such a stance is particularly
his brain may not be conducive his background, stress, and crucial in interactions with
to remembering dates. genetics working against him in children as they are heavily
remembering birthdays. influenced by adults' responses.
These three possibilities cover But his wife made the simple
For instance, if a father the performance of children Environmental Factors.
criticizes his son for not paying with ADD led many people to Appreciating the complexities
“ Quickly attention in school and choose the simple explanation of human behavior involves
attributing a attributes this problem to that the child wasn’t trying. understanding that we are
laziness, the boy may begin to Often, we need to look beyond biological beings - that our
simple think of himself as lazy. these simple explanations to basic make-up, such as
This occurs especially when the see what the real problem may intelligence or disposition, is
explanation, child has no alternative be. Quickly attributing a simple part of our genetic coding.
can blind us explanation. One possible explanation can blind us to However, that genetic coding is
explanation may be that the other possibilities. influenced by our experiences,
to other child has Attention Deficit which includes both our
possibilities” Disorder (ADD) which is a WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF learning history and our
biological condition. However, HUMAN BEHAVIOR? current stresses. For instance,
until recently, the variability in
an individual may be born with individual for a specific illness. with parents with similar
a predisposition to develop an Having a predisposition means problems. Thus, they have both
above average intelligence. that the individual has the the genetic coding and the
However, poor nutrition and tendency to develop the illness learning from their parents'
lack of environmental under certain conditions. modeling of irrational thinking
stimulation may result in an and behavior.
intelligence level that falls However, this explanation also
short of the genetic coding. means that the individual will Personality Traits.
not develop the disorder or that We can think of many of our
Biological Predisposition. the disorder may not be as personality traits in a similar
In the area of mental and severe under certain manner. If we take a child with
physical disorders, the conditions. a high activity level and put her
"diathesis-stress" model for What I have noticed in my prac- in an environment where she
illness explains that a tice is that those clients who must sit still and then criticize
"diathesis", or predisposition, have the most severe anxiety her when she doesn’t, she may
exists within a particular or depression often grew up develop low self-esteem and

3. Page 3 Guide 9: Attributions
begin to act in an oppositional behavior without being when a child is screaming for
and defiant manner. Whereas, a defensive. your attention, "He's behaving
similar child whose energy is this way because he learned
accepted and directed, may HOW CAN I USE THIS this behavior gets him
learn to focus his activity in a UNDERSTANDING TO BENEFIT attention." By thinking of such
goal-directed way and feel good MY LIFE? possibilities, it gives you an
about himself. opportunity to respond in a
Identify the attribution. First, helpful manner. You might
As you see, behavior is not as when you find yourself upset by decide to reinforce appropriate
simple as "will-power" or the certain behavior of others, ask behavior and ignore the
individual's fault. As a society, yourself why you are upset. screaming.
we need to begin to look at
behavior in it’s complexity If you find yourself blaming the Or in another scenario where
instead of trying to place blame. other person, such as "He's someone is ignoring you,
This allows us to explore the doing that on purpose," see if instead of taking it personally,
behavior less judgmentally. you can think of other possible you might think "Maybe she has
Such a stance permits the causes of the behavior. For an anxiety disorder that makes
individual to examine his or her instance, you might consider it difficult to talk with people." If
you begin to think about other for your behavior, but don’t whether I succeed or not."
possibilities such as these, you blame yourself. What I mean by Such an attitude actually allows
may find it easier to cope with this is to accept the you to accomplish more rather “ If you find
situations and know what to do. consequences resulting from than spending energy to blame yourself blaming
your behaviour, but don’t yourself.
Recognize the complexity of degrade yourself for making the other person,
behavior. Second, if you have mistakes. For instance, if you Recognize the biology of see if you can think
a tendency toward depression, start an exercise program, and behavior.
you need to give yourself a you don’t exercise for a week, Third, recognize the importance of other possible
break. Instead of attributing all instead of berating yourself for of biology and accept your causes of the
problems to personal failure, failing, just start again. limitations and the limitations
think of the complexity of your Tell your-self, "The most of others. Some people are not behaviour”
behavior. Take responsibility important thing is trying, not biologically inclined to be
Olympic athletes; other people essary to take care of
are not meant to be thin; and ourselves.
others are not inclined to be Copyright © 2000 by Monica A.
color coordinated. One way to do so is to learn the Frank, Ph.D. and
We have our differences, our skills to manage our lives. www.excelatlife.com. All rights
talents, and our limitations. acknowledged.
We cannot be perfect in The way we think and cope with
everything. Each of us needs to stress affects not only our
accept ourselves as we are. mental health, but also, our
By truly accepting ourselves, we physical health.
will also be able to accept other
people.
As with any illness, it is our
responsibility to do what is nec-

4. Page 4
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