On causality, responsibility, and self-blame: a theoretical note
Abstract
Examples from the literature on "self-blame" for illness (Tennen, Affleck, & Gershman, 1986) and criminal victimization (Janoff-Bulman, 1979) illustrate insufficient attention to construct validity in the measurement of causality, responsibility, and blameworthiness. Distinctions among these terms have been drawn in detail in a recent theory of the attribution of blame (Shaver, 1985), and these are briefly described. We argue that in future research and theory in the attribution of responsibility and blame, especially self-blame, investigators should attend more carefully to such conceptual distinctions.
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The use of self blame may reflect an underlying sense of frustration and guilt related to responsibility attribution and interpersonal reactions, which can in turn contribute to psychiatric morbidity.
“The use of self blame may reflect an underlying sense of frustration and guilt related to responsibility attribution and interpersonal reactions which can, in turn, contribute to psychiatric morbidity [42], [43].”
From Psychosocial and coping responses within the community health care setting towards a national outbreak of an infectious disease (2010) · cites this paper as [42]
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References 31 · Cited by 296
- Authors
- Shaver, K. G., & Drown, D.
- Affiliations
- William & Mary (US)
- ORCID
- Shaver, Kelly G.
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 1986
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 697-702
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2069796209
- Cited by
- 296
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 4.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Keywords
- self-blame, causality, responsibility, culpability, blame attribution, crime victimization, construct validity, conceptual distinction
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Crime, Defense Mechanisms, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Newborn, Diseases, Mothers, Set, Psychology, Sick Role, Social Responsibility
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