An attributional approach to perceived responsibility for transgressions: extensions to child abuse, punishment goals and political ideology

Abstract: A theory of social conduct is reviewed in which attributions of causality and inferences of responsibility are the key concepts. A meta-analysis testing this theory in the domain of help-giving provides strong support for the conceptualisation. Current research documenting that inferences of responsibility are related to child abuse, the functions of punishment (retributive vs. utilitarian) and to political ideology is also presented.