Abstract
The present study compared the tendencies on the part of distressed and nondistressed couples to attribute their partners' positive and negative behavior to internal versus external factors. The prediction was that, compared to nondistressed spouses, distressed spouses would be inclined to attribute their partners' positive behavior to external factors, and their negative behavior to internal factors. Forty-nine nondistressed and 23 distressed couples were randomly assigned to one of two instructional manipulations, delivered to one spouse unbeknownst to the other. One set of instructions was to “act positive” during a subsequent conflict resolution interaction; the other was to “act negative.” Following the conflict resolution task, the uninstructed spouse was given the opportunity to explain his/her partner's behavior by completing a questionnaire consisting of a series of internal and external causal attributions. The findings supported the following hypothesis: Distressed couples were particularly likely to attribute their partners' negative behavior to internal factors; nondistressed couples, on the other hand, were particularly likely to attribute their partners' positive behavior to internal factors. Moreover, there was an overall tendency to favor internal attributions, regardless of distress level or valence of the behavior being interpreted. Discussion centered both on the implications of these findings and on directions for future research.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bishop, Y. M., Feinberg, S., & Holland, P. (1975).Discrete multivariate analysis. Boston: M.I.T. Press.
Christensen, A., Sullaway, M., & King, C. (1983). Systematic error in behavioral reports of dyadic interaction: Egocentric bias and content effects.Behavioral Assessment, 5 129–140.
Dixon, W. J., & Brown, M. B. (1979).BMDP-79: Biomedical computer programs P-Series. Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Doherty, W. J. (1981a). Cognitive processes in intimate conflict: I. Extending attribution theory.American Journal of Family Therapy, 9 5–13.
Doherty, W. J. (1981b). Cognitive processes in intimate conflict: II. Efficacy and learned helplessness.American Journal of Family Therapy, 9 35–44.
Doherty, W. J. (1982). Attribution style and negative problem solving in marriage.Family Relations, 31 23–27.
Eidelson, R. J., & Epstein, N. (1982). Cognition and relationship maladjustment: Development of a measure of dysfunctional relationship beliefs.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50 715–720.
Epstein, N. (1982). Cognitive therapy with couples.American Journal of Family Therapy, 10 5–16.
Epstein, N., & Eidelson, R. J. (1981). Unrealistic beliefs of clinical couples: Their relationship to expectations, goals and satisfaction.American Journal of Family Therapy, 9 13–22.
Fienberg, S. E. (1977).The analysis of cross-classified categorical data. Boston: M.I.T. Press.
Fincham, F., & O'Leary, K. D. (1983). Causal inferences for spouse behavior in maritally distressed and nondistressed couples.Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 1 42–57.
Gottman, J. M. (1979).Marital interaction: Experimental investigations. New York: Academic Press.
Gurman, A. S. (1978). Contemporary marital therapies: A critique and comparative analysis of psychodynamic, systems, and behavioral approaches. In T. J. Paolino, Jr., & B. S. McCrady (Eds.),Marriage and marital therapy: Psychoanalytic, behavioral, and systems theory perspectives. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Gurman, A. S., & Knudson, R. M. (1978). Behavioral marriage therapy: I. A psychodynamicsystems analysis and critique.Family Process, 17 121–138.
Harvey, J. H., Wells, G. L., & Alvarez, M. D. (1978). Attribution in the context of confict and separation in close relationships. In J. Harvey, W. Ickes, & R. Kidd (Eds.),New directions in attribution research (Vol. 2). New York: Erlbaum.
Harvey, J. H., Yarkin, K. L., Lightner, J. M., & Town, J. P. (1980). Unsolicited interpretation and recall of interpersonal events.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38 551–568.
Heider, F. (1958).The psychology of interpersonal relations. New York: Wiley.
Jacobson, N. S. (1978). A stimulus control model of change in behavioral marital therapy: Implications for contingency contracting.Journal of Marriage and Family Counseling, 4 29–35.
Jacobson, N. S. (1984). The modification of cognitive processes in behavioral marital therapy: Integrating cognitive and behavioral intervention strategies. In K. Hahlweg & N. S. Jacobson (Eds.),Marital interaction: Analysis and modification. New York: Guilford Press.
Jacobson, N. S., Elwood, R., & Dallas, M. (1981). The behavioral assessment of marital dysfunction. In D. H. Barlow (Ed.),Behavioral assessment of adult disorders. New York: Guilford Press.
Jacobson, N. S., Follette, W. C., & McDonald, D. W. (1982). Reactivity to positive and negative behavior in distressed and nondistressed married couples.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50 706–714.
Jacobson, N. S., & Margolin, G. (1979).Marital therapy: Strategies based on social learning and behavior exchange principles. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Jacobson, N. S., & Moore, D. (1981). Spouses as observers of the events in their relationship.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49 269–277.
Jacobson, N. S., Waldron, H., & Moore, D. (1980). Toward a behavioral profile of marital distress.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48 696–703.
Jellison, J. M., & Green, J. (1981). A self-presentation approach to the fundamental attribution error: The norm of internality.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40 643–649.
Jones, E. E. (1979). The rocky road from acts to dispositions.American Psychologist, 34 107–117.
Jones, E. E., & Davis, K. E. (1965). From acts to dispositions. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.),Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 2). New York: Academic Press.
Kazdin, A. E. (1979).Research design in clinical psychology. New York: Harper & Row.
Kelley, H. H. (1967). Attribution in social psychology.Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (Vol. 15). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Kelley, H. H. (1972). Attribution in social interaction. In E. E. Jones, D. E. Kanouse, H. H. Kelley, R. E. Nisbett, S. Valins, & B. Weiner (Eds.),Attribution: Perceiving the causes of behavior. Morristown, New Jersey: General Learning Press.
Kelley, H. H. (1973). The process of causal attribution.American Psychologist, 28 107–128.
Knight, J. A., & Vallacher, R. R. (1981). Interpersonal engagement in social perception: The consequences of getting into the action.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40 990–999.
Knudson, R. M., Gurman, A. S., & Kniskern, D. P. (1979). Behavioral marriage therapy: A treatment in transition. In C. M. Franks & G. T. Wilson (Eds.),Annual review of behavior therapy (Vol. 7). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Madden, B. E., & Janoff-Bulman, R. (1981). Blame, control and marital satisfaction: Wives' attributions for conflict in marraige.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 44 363–374.
Margolin, G. (1981). Behavior exchange in happy and unhappy marriages: A family cycle perspective.Behavior Therapy, 12 329–343.
Newman, H. (1981a). Communication within ongoing intimate relationships: An attributional perspective.Social Psychology Bulletin, 7 59–70.
Newman, H. (1981b). Interpretation and explanation: Influence on communicative exchanges within intimate relationships.Communication Quarterly, 8 123–132.
Olson, D. H., & Ryder, R. G. (1970). Inventory of marital conflicts.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 3 443–448.
Orvis, B. R., Kelley, H. H., & Butler, D. (1976). Attributional conflict in young couples. In J. H. Harvey, W. Ickes, & R. F. Kidd (Eds.),New directions in attribution research. New York: Erlbaum.
Passer, M. W., Kelley, H. H., & Michela, J. L. (1978). Multidimensional scaling of the causes for negative interpersonal behavior.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36 951–962.
Ross, L. (1977). The intuitive psychologist and his shortcomings: Distortions in the attribution process. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.),Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 10). New York: Academic Press.
Spanier, G. B. (1976). Measuring dyadic adjustment: New scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 38 15–28.
Taylor, S. E., & Koivumaki, J. H. (1976). The perception of self and others: Acquaintanceship, affect, and actor-observer differences.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 33 403–408.
Thompson, S. C., & Kelley, H. H. (1981). Judgments of responsiblity for activities in close relationships.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41 469–477.
Turkewitz, H., & O'Leary, K. D. (1981). A comparative outcome study of behavioral marital therapy and communication therapy.Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 7 159–170.
Watson, D. (1982). The actor and the observer: How are their perceptions of causality divergent?Psychological Bulletin, 92 682–700.
Weiss, R. L. (1980). Strategic behavioral marital therapy: Toward a model for assessment and intervention. In J. P. Vincent (Ed.),Advances in family intervention, assessment and theory (Vol. 1). Greenwich, Connecticut: JAI Press.
Wong, P. T. P., & Weiner, B. (1981). When people ask “why” questions, and the heuristics of attributional search.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40 650–663.
Wright, J., & Fichten, C. (1976). Denial of responsibility, videotape feedback and attribution theory: Relevance for behavioral marital therapy.Canadian Psychology Review, 17 219–230.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by grants from the Graduate School Research Fund at the University of Washington and by National Institute of Mental Health Grant No. 5 R01 MH 33838-02. Special thanks to the many research assistants who assisted us in various phases of this experiment: Dick Elwood, Jim Gilleland, Carolyn Phelps, Nicole Bussod, Victoria Follette, Christy Crose, George Nelson, B. J. McCrae, and Marianne DeGennaro. The authors would also like to thank Clifford Lunneborg for his valuable statistical consultation regarding the use of loglinear analysis.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jacobson, N.S., McDonald, D.W., Follette, W.C. et al. Attributional processes in distressed and nondistressed married couples. Cogn Ther Res 9, 35–50 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01178749
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01178749