Attribution of Responsibility as a Multidimensional Concept

Attributions of responsibility (AR) are of interest to sociologists and psychologists. However, the measurement of AR has been inconsistent both within and across the disciplines. The present study tests whether AR is a multidimensional or unidimensional concept. Data for study 1 were collected from 201 undergraduate students at a large, midwestern university. Results indicate that there are four factors associated with AR, supporting the contention that AR is a multidimensional concept. Study 2 replicated the findings of the first with a sample of 441 undergraduates. Results indicate that there are four factors that respondents consider when attributing responsibility for wrongdoing.