Malle, B. F. (1999). How people explain
behavior: A new theoretical framework. Personality and Social
Psychology Review, 3, 23-48.
This paper presents a theoretical framework of how people explain
behavior. The framework, based on the folk concept of intentionality,
distinguishes two major modes of explanation (reason explanation,
cause explanation) as well as two minor modes and identifies
conditions under which they occur. Three studies provide empirical
support for these distinctions. As part of the framework, a detailed
model of peopleUs reason explanations is developed, which emphasizes
the unique conceptual and linguistic features of reasons. This model
points to limitations of traditional attribution concepts, which are
examined theoretically and empirically. In the end, the theoretical
framework integrates attribution concepts, which apply to some but not
all modes of explanation. Several paths for future research are
outlined Q on novel topics such as the roles of rationality and
subjectivity in explanations and on classic topics such as the
actor-observer asymmetry and the self-serving bias.
To request a preprint, send an email message -- with
your name and address and the article title -- to bfmalle@darkwing.uoregon.edu