Attribution theory deals with how people explain social behavior -
their causal attributions or common-sense explanations. Causal
Attribution provides a major assessment of attribution theory
in social psychology during the last forty years. It reviews in
detail the variety of theoretical perspectives and established
phenomena in attribution theory and provides a unique integration.

A brief introduction to the classic attribution theories is
followed by a review of some of the fundamental questions. The core
of the book is made up of four central chapters, one on each of
Doise's levels of explanation. Intra-personal attribution has
studied the logic, cognitive processes and knowledge structures
underlying causal attributions. Interpersonal attribution centers
on attribution in social interaction and in close relationships,
especially marriage. Intergroup attribution highlights the
consequences of social categorization: attributions at this level
often favor the ingroup and sustain ingroup conflict. Societal
attributions link attributions to wider social beliefs, such as
conspiracy theories, and refer to phenomena such as poverty,
unemployment and riots.

This volume emphasizes the breadth and depth of attribution
research, and argues persuasively that an attributional approach
has a promising future, as well as a distinguished past, in social
psychology.