Toward a Methodology for Coding Spontaneous Causal Attributions: Preliminary Results with Married Couples

In the present study, a new methodology was designed to examine the causal attributions that were spontaneously verbalized by spouses to their married partners. Marital problem resolution discussions were coded for the occurrence of attributional activity. The subjects were distressed couples, observed before and after marital therapy, and happily married spouses. More attributions were made by all subjects for negative behaviors than for positive behaviors, and self-initiated events elicited more attributional activity than partner or couple behaviors. Attributions for internal, unobservable events (e.g., feelings, beliefs) and for future events (e.g., why some future events will or won't occur) were also examined. The advantages and disadvantages of this new methodology were discussed.