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The triangle model of responsibility
B R Schlenker1, T W Britt, J Pennington
1Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
Psychological Review
|October 1, 1994
Summary
People attribute responsibility based on how well rules apply to an event, how identity links to rules, and perceived control over the event. These three factors determine judgments of social responsibility.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Moral Psychology
Background:
- Responsibility is a complex social construct.
- Existing models of responsibility lack a unified framework.
- Understanding attributions of responsibility is key to social judgment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a psychological model of responsibility.
- To identify the key linkages in attributing responsibility.
- To provide a framework for understanding social judgment.
Main Methods:
- Developed a three-linkage model of responsibility.
- Conducted empirical studies to test the model's predictions.
- Analyzed attributions of responsibility based on prescription-event, prescription-identity, and identity-event links.
Main Results:
- Attributions of responsibility are a direct function of the combined strengths of the three linkages.
- Individuals actively seek information relevant to these linkages when judging responsibility.
- The proposed model effectively explains and integrates prior findings on responsibility.
Conclusions:
- Responsibility is psychologically adhesive, linking actors to events and prescriptions.
- The three identified linkages (prescription-event, prescription-identity, identity-event) are crucial for attributions of responsibility.
- This model offers a coherent framework for understanding social judgment and clarifies the multifaceted nature of responsibility.