Source and Type of Wives’ Problems as Related to Responsibility Attribution,Interpersonal Attraction and Understanding *

Abstract

Female Ss made ratings of wives encountering problems resulting from pregnancy or children. Specifically studied were the interpersonal reactions of raters to women facing psychological, vocational, and financial problems. The three types of problems were presented to Ss as having been caused by the husband, the wife herself, or the cause was left ambiguous. The reactions selected for study were (1) responsibility attribution, (2) understanding, (3) worthiness of help, and (4) interpersonal attraction. Such reactions varied depending upon the source and type of problem. Particularly, wives experiencing psychological problems were regarded as less responsible for them, were rated as being more understood, and were more interpersonally attractive.

References

BYRNE

The attraction paradigm. New York: Academic Press, 1971.

BYRNE

, & GRIFFITT

Interpersonal attraction. Annual Review of Psychology, 1973, 24, in press.

CRINKLAW

, & VIDMAR

Attributing responsibility for an accident: two integrative attempts. Research Bulletin, No. 186, University of Western Ontario, 1971. (a)

CRINKLAW

, & VIDMAR

Inferential sets, locus of control, and attribution of responsibility for an accident. Research Bulletin, No. 203, University of Western Ontario, 1971. (b)

HEIDER

The psychology of interpersonal relations. New York: Wiley, 1958.

JONES

, & DAVIS

From acts to dispositions. In Berkowitz

(Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. New York: Academic Press, 1965. Pp. 219–266.

LEFCOURT

Internal versus external control of reinforcement: a review. Psychological Bulletin, 1966, 65, 206–220.

LOTT

, & LOTT

The power of liking: consequences of interpersonal attitudes derived from a liberalized view of secondary reinforcement. In Berkowitz

(Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. New York: Academic Press, 1971. Pp. 109–148.

PHARES

E. J.

Internal-external control and the reduction of reinforcement value after failure. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1971, 37, 386–390.

10.

PHARES

E. J.

, & WILSON

Responsibility attribution: role of outcome severity, situational ambiguity, and internal-external control. Journal of Personality, 1972, 40, 392–406.

11.

ROTTER

J. B.

Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 1966, 80, No. 1 (Whole No. 609).