Accession Number:

ADA551147

Title:

Predicting Blame Assignment in a Case of Negligent Harm

Descriptive Note:

Journal article

Corporate Author:

DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TORONTO (CANADA)

Personal Author(s):

• Mandel, David R.

Report Date:

2010-01-01

Pagination or Media Count:

14.0

Abstract:

Theories of blame posit that observers consider causality, controllability, and foreseeability when assigning blame to actors. The present study examined which of these factors, either on their own or in interaction, predicted blame assigned to actors in a case of harm caused by negligence. The findings revealed that only causal impact ratings predicted blame. The findings also revealed a novel form of asymmetric discounting the causal impact of a negligent actor was used to discount blame assigned to an innocent actor, but the causal impact of the innocent actor was not used to discount the blame assigned to the negligent actor.

Descriptors:

• *COGNITION
• ALLOCATIONS
• CANADA
• CASUALTIES
• ETHICS
• OBSERVERS
• REPRINTS
• SOCIETIES
• THEORY

Subject Categories:

• Psychology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE