How people explain actions performed by groups and individuals.
The authors explore whether people explain intentional actions performed by groups differently from actions performed by individuals, A theoretical framework is offered that distinguishes between 2 modes of explanation: the agent's reasons (beliefs or desires in light of which the agent decided to act) and causal histories of reasons (CHRs; factors that preceded and brought about the agent's reasons). The authors develop the hypothesis that people use more CHR explanations when explaining group actions than when explaining individual actions. Study 1 demonstrates this asymmetry. Studies 2 and 3 explore 2 necessary conditions for the asymmetry: that the group be perceived as an aggregate of individual actors rather thin as a jointly acting group and that explainers have general information available about the group. Discussion focuses on people's perception of groups as entities and agents.
O'Laughlin
Matthew J
MJ
Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene 97403-1227, USA. olaughli@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Malle
Bertram F
BF
D006801:Humans; D011897:Random Allocation; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D013240:Stereotyping