Gerbasi Alexandra: Attribution and Commitment in Different T

This book integrates attribution theories into exchange theory to help further understand commitment formation. The level of uncertainty in the type of exchange, the level of interdependence and the behavior of both partners impact traditional attribution predictions. In addition, these factors influence the focal actors‘ perceptions of their partners‘ trustworthiness. Finally, all of these factors influence the level of commitment between partners. Three types of direct exchange are explored: binding negotiated exchange, non-binding negotiated exchange and reciprocal exchange. An experimental with simulated partners is used to control for partner behavior. Results show that when actors interact with highly cooperative partners, dispositional causal attributions are significantly associated with perceived trustworthiness. This effect is magnified by uncertainty. Dispositional causal attributions are also significantly associated with commitment when actors interact with highly cooperative partners. The incorporation of causal attributions can help us further understand perceptions of fairness, justice and affect in exchange situations.