Bradbury and Fincham
Bradbury and Fincham (1990)
Meta-analysis of research on attributions in married couples
- Spouses in happy relationships tended to focus on their partner’s positive behavior as part of the person’s character. They were more likely to make attributions that locate the cause of
1. positive events to dispositional factors in the partner (i.e. positive things happen because of the partner)
2. negative events to situational factors (i.e. the partner is not to blame).
- Spouses in unhappy relationships tended to see their partner’s negative behavior as part of his or her character and downplay the partner’s positive behavior. They were more likely to make attributions that locate the cause of
1. positive events to situational factors (i.e. positive events do not happen because of the partner)
2. negative events to dispositional factors (i.e. the partner is to blame).