Spontaneous attributional thinking following near-miss and loss-producing traffic accidents

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine whether spontaneous attributional search increases with accident outcome severity, specifically in near-miss versus loss-producing outcomes. Subjects listed the questions that they would ask themselves following traffic accidents that differed in outcome severity and fault. Outcomes involving injury and damage generated more self-questioning; however, the nature of questions did not indicate increased attributional activity. With injury and damage, the subjects' thinking shifted from causes to appropriate actions and possible consequences. Subjects made more internal attributions of causality when at fault, and more stable attributions following the serious outcomes. Injury and damage outcomes produced substancial negative affects, supporting previously hypothesized outcome-and-causal-dimension-related emotions. Stricter penalties were recommended for either at-fault driver when serious consequences were involved. Severity-dependent effects for responsibility, however, were