From Anger to Attribution: Could Attention Be a Bridge?
Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: We explored whether or not anger increases attribution bias toward salient information by narrowing attention scope. In Experiment 1, participants made attributions about 6 daily events while experiencing anger or in a neutral state. The anger group was more biased toward the salient factor compared to the neutral group. Using eye-tracking methodology, in Experiment 2 we further demonstrated that attention scope that is narrowed due to anger is related to a polarized distribution of attention resources, particularly decreased eye fixation on the phrase containing nonsalient factors. Finally, in Experiment 3 we separated attention process from information salience and further confirmed that narrowing attention scope (polarizing attention resource) could bias the attribution. In sum, our results indicate that attention scope is the bridge by which anger increases attribution bias.
Authors: Xiaofan Peng, Maoyang Zhang, Dajun Zhang, Deguang Xie, Yusheng Guan
Language: English
Topic: Emotions and Moral Behavior
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W293553031