Pity, Anger, and Guilt: An Attributional Analysis

Abstract

Three basic dimensions of causality, which represent the underlying properties of causes, have been identified: locus, stability, and controllability. Evidence was presented that these dimensions are linked with feelings of pity, anger, and guilt. Two experiments were conducted; one asked participants to recall situations in which pity, anger, and guilt were experienced, while the other examined ratings of pity and anger as a function of the a priori classification of given causes of events. It was found that uncontrollable causes of negative events gave rise to pity, independent of the locus of the cause. For both anger and guilt, the associated cause was perceived as controllable and internal to the target of the emotion. Stable causes influenced the magnitude, rather than the direction, of emotions. It was contended that causal thoughts often precede and determine the experiences of pit, anger, and guilt.