published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

A dissertation submitted to the faculty of arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts (clinical psychology) / The present research study, located in the field of social psychology and attribution theory investigated variations in causal attributions of abused women in relation to reported severity, duration and frequency of the abuse. The study aimed to expand current attributional research to incorporate global/specific attributional dimensions of blame. Although theories of learned helplessness have been linked to global attributions of blame, this relationship has been under-researched in the area of women abuse. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / AC2017

Many studies have been devoted to investigating the process by which individuals make dispositional attributions about the people that they encounter. Typically, individuals are more likely to seek future interactions with target individuals if those target individuals have a positive or rewarding disposition. Interactions with target individuals possessing negative or punishing dispositions reduce the likelihood that target individual will be selected for future interactions. An initial false positive trait ascription will be self-correcting with future interactions. An initial false negative trait label will likely remain stable if future interactions are not forced. The importance of quick accurate disposition identification carries important evolutionary implications as well as normal-life implications. Results from an experiment support the ability of subjects to accurately identify the true trait of target individuals with limited dispositional information. / by Robert P. Shuhi. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Yu, Chi Ching. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-58). / Abstracts in English and Chinese ; appendices also in Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Definition of CSR --- p.1 / Consequence of CSR --- p.2 / The effect of CSR on affective and cognitive components of consumer responses --- p.3 / The effect of CSR on behavioral component of consumer responses --- p.5 / Attribution as underlying mechanism --- p.8 / Effect of attribution on consumer responses --- p.10 / Mechanism for making attribution --- p.11 / Inter-relationships between dimensions --- p.15 / Other potential variables affecting consumer responses --- p.16 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Method --- p.18 / Participants --- p.18 / Scenario --- p.18 / Questionnaire --- p.19 / Measures --- p.20 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Result --- p.23 / Validity Check --- p.23 / Descriptive statistics --- p.23 / Dimensionality --- p.25 / Reliability --- p.30 / Model testing results --- p.30 / Hypothesis testing --- p.33 / Total amount of variance explained --- p.34 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Discussion --- p.35 / Attribution as the underlying explanation of CSR effect --- p.35 / Mechanism of how consumers form attribution of CSR activities --- p.37 / Managerial implication of the present study --- p.40 / Limitation of the present study and further research direction --- p.42 / Appendix --- p.44 / Appendix 1: Questionnaire of pilot study 1 --- p.44 / Appendix 2: Questionnaire of pilot study 2 --- p.46 / Appendix 3: Result of pilot study 2 --- p.48 / Appendix 4: Measurement items --- p.49 / Reference --- p.55

Teen problem-d1inking is a pervasive problem in our society. Teens with drinking problems utilize treatment centers and then return to school attempting to stay sober. However, many return to affiliate with problem drinkers instead of with non-drinkers, and risk for relapse is high. One explanation may be that teens without drinking problems do not accept teen problem drinkers into their peer group due to negative reactions toward problem drinkers. One way to examine their attitudes is to examine differences between teen problem drinkers and non-drinkers regarding causal attributions. Attribution theory proposes that various attributions will elicit different emotional reactions and will motivate teens to behave in certain ways. The purpose of this study was to determine if teens with prior experience in treatment (problem drinkers) and teens without that experience (non-problem drinkers) make different causal attributions for teen problem drinking. Furthermore, group differences in emotional reactions, beliefs about how to offset the problem, and help-giving behaviors were also examined. This study also sought to determine whether there was a predictable link between attributions and emotional reactions, and between emotional reactions and helpgiving behaviors. One hundred twenty-one teenagers aged 13 to 20 were recruited as subjects, 79 from Portland area schools and 42 from treatment centers. Subjects completed a written survey measuring causal attributions for teen problem drinking, emotional reactions toward teen problem drinkers, beliefs regarding how to offset the problem, and help-giving behaviors. Four MANOYAs were used to determine group differences. Results revealed group differences on causal attributions, emotional reactions, and offset controllability, but not on help-giving behaviors. Two multiple regressions were used to determine whether attributions predicted emotional reactions and whether emotional reactions predicted help-giving behaviors; results revealed no link. Although results revealed group differences, these were found not to be consistent with the hypothesis based on attribution theory. Results did reveal positive outcomes regarding attitudes toward teen problem drinkers by nonproblem drinkers, which is important as it suggests that teens without prior experience in treatment may be more accepting of teen problem drinkers than was expected.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-131). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-117). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-117). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-103).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-131). Also available on the Internet.