Effects of Behavioral Causes and Consequences on Person Judgments

Abstract

Two scenario studies address the effects of the consequences of an actor's behavior as a function of behavioral causes (dispositional, situational) and behavior valence. In Experiment 1, the behaviors were likeability related. As predicted, inferences were more extreme when the behaviors produced consequences for others than when they did not affect others-but only when the behaviors were likeable. In Experiment 2, the behaviors were ability related. Only incompetent behaviors were judged more extremely when they affected others. A parallel pattern of findings emerged for the effects of causes. Judgments were more extreme for dispositional than for situationally caused behaviors but only when the behaviors were likeable or incompetent. Thus, inferences of likeable and incompetent behaviors were affected by causes and consequences, but dislikeable and competent behaviors were perceived as informative regardless of their causes and consequences.