The 29th Coulter Lecture. Person and situation: adjusting the rehabilitation focus

Four factors are examined that deflect attention away from environmental considerations in accounting for a person's behavior. The factors are (a) proximity between person and behavior, (b) saliency of person as figure, environment as background, (c) covariation of behavior with person or situation, (d) position of the person as insider (actor) or outsider (observer). Theory, research and examples are brought to bear on the attribution analysis. Five recommendations are offered to check flawed human perception when engaging in a helping relationship.