Blame: Attribution to external factors

[Snow Turtle]

Attribution theory:
We all have a need to explain the world, both to ourselves and to other people, attributing cause to the events around us. This gives us a greater sense of control. When explaining behavior, it can affect the standing of people within a group (especially ourselves).

When another person has erred, we will often use internal attribution, saying it is due to internal personality factors. When we have erred, we will more likely use external attribution, attributing causes to situational factors rather than blaming ourselves. And vice versa. We will attribute our successes internally and the successes of our rivals to external ‘luck’.

I've noticed that there are some people here who don't do things because they dislike the said task. They would rather go off and do something else because it's more entertaining. At least I know that I engage in this behaviour, procrastinating on stuff until the deadline is close or already passed. Moving back to the subject matter.

In my situation, I've been assigning blame to external factors by thinking I dislike something therefore I will perform badly in it, or that there are unrelated problems elsewhere affecting things. I was thinking about asking the student welfare if there is the possability of getting a medical note explaining my failure to deliver work. Then it sort of hit me...

"Wait, Am I actually allowed to blame the course for my lack of delivery?"

Yes, there are reasons explaining why it probably happened. But does that really excuse the behaviour, or that somehow we're not 100% responsible. Unless there is a 'real' problem, if you don't like something but can do it and need to do it. You should.
Reminds me of the things occasionally thrown around: "That shouldn't matter or affect the situation." The extreme of this argument is that a stressed/sad person should be battle through regardless even they need to do so. And I'm not sure how I feel about that sort of thing.

It could be any form of external blame. Being provoked etc...
What do others think about this matter? And what stance do you hold for yourself?

 

[Halla74]

"Wait, Am I actually allowed to blame the course for my lack of delivery?"

Yes, there are reasons explaining what had happened. However I'm not sure if that excuses the behaviour, or that somehow I'm not 100% responsible.

You are responsible for the grade in the course. You enrolled in it, you paid for it, if you don't do the work you will get a bad grade for it, if you then you will get a good grade. Bottom line is though that you own your grade, regardless if you like/dislike the subject material. BTW, I am not harping on you, I felt EXACTLY as you do 15 years ago when I was undergrad BS Biology major, and I H-A-T-E-D Organic Chemistry, but I had no one to blame but myself for the difficulty I experienced in the course. I stopped myself from studying by procrastinating and bitching. I eventually got over this. If the course was a required course for my major, I stood up and did what I needed to pass it.

Even if you don't like something, if you have to do it, you can delivery it and shouldn't blame external things unless they really are there. Reminds me of the arguements commonly dished around: That shouldn't matter. Having said all that... the extreme of this argument is that a stressed/sad person should be battle through regardless even they need to do so. And I'm not sure how I feel about that sort of thing.

I saw a billboard recently, it said: "Diabetes, just get over it" but Dibetes was striked through and substitued with "Depression". The point being, a type II diabetic can't just get over their need for administering insulin, a depressed person cannot just shake their depression. They need to do whatever therapy is necessary to get through it. The bottom line is though, if they are enrolled in a course while depressed, and their depression is prohibiting them from doing what is necessary to get a good grade, then they are responsible for withdrawing from the course before the drop/add date, and if that date has passed, then they are responsible for requesting a Medical Withdrawal from their University's Registrar's office.

It could be any form of external blame. Being provoked etc...
What do others think about this matter? And what stance do you hold for yourself?

I personally detest when people blame me for their problems, I get really pissed off about it actually. If I screwed something up, and am called out for it, I will do what I must to make it right, no questions asked. But, when someone triesd to blame me for their shirtcomings, whatever they may be, look out. A big can of whoop ass is getting opened up. That's just my take on the matter.

 

[Mempy]

Today, I had a shining example of a run-in with responsibility. I was scheduled to volunteer today at my workplace, but I didn't show. I realized yesterday evening that I wouldn't be able to show, but by that time the place had closed for the day, and I didn't think there was a way to leave a voice message telling the volunteer coordinator that I wasn't going to be able to make it.

I rolled out of bed at around eleven this morning, an hour and a half after I was due to show up. I'd already decided I wasn't going to go, and it crossed my mind to call and tell them that I wasn't going to show, but that task seemed too unpleasant, so I waved it off. (Lol.) Later today, on my way to school, I got a call from the volunteer coordinator, reminding me that I was supposed to have shown up today. I told her that I knew I was, and tried to explain why I didn't call, but I only got bits and pieces out, and I certainly couldn't get the words out of my mouth that it was "too unpleasant" to call.

I apologized a few times for not calling and not showing, said I would call in advance next time, and thanked her for calling to straighten me out. She laughed at that. I now know that if I need to call off and the place is closed for the day, I can leave a voice message on the main office's inbox. All cleared up. I consider mis-steps like that learning experiences.

Attribution theory:
We all have a need to explain the world, both to ourselves and to other people, attributing cause to the events around us. This gives us a greater sense of control. When explaining behavior, it can affect the standing of people within a group (especially ourselves).

When another person has erred, we will often use internal attribution, saying it is due to internal personality factors. When we have erred, we will more likely use external attribution, attributing causes to situational factors rather than blaming ourselves. And vice versa. We will attribute our successes internally and the successes of our rivals to external ‘luck’.

I agree with all of this, as a rule of thumb.

Unless there is a 'real' problem, if you don't like something but can do it and need to do it. You should.

True. Because in my case, "I just didn't feel like it," though it was the truth, was not a truth I was willing to admit on the phone. If you're willing to admit the real reason why you eschewed your responsibility, fine. But if not, you need to do it.

I don't have anything more to say, because I have to run. But I agreed with most of what Halla said.

 

[Eric B]

This is just another name for this:
http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...r-personality-matrices/650-locus-control.html

 

[entropie]

Attribution theory:
We all have a need to explain the world, both to ourselves and to other people, attributing cause to the events around us. This gives us a greater sense of control. When explaining behavior, it can affect the standing of people within a group (especially ourselves).

When another person has erred, we will often use internal attribution, saying it is due to internal personality factors. When we have erred, we will more likely use external attribution, attributing causes to situational factors rather than blaming ourselves. And vice versa. We will attribute our successes internally and the successes of our rivals to external ‘luck’.

Who / What is we ?