Abstract

Rychological Inquiry Copyright 1991 by 1991, Vol. 2, No. 1, 11-49 Law~nce Erlbaum Associates, Inc. COMMENTARIES Lyn Y. Abramson University of Wisconsin, Madison Benjamin M. Dykman University of British Columbia Douglas J. Needles University of Wisconsin, Madison Attributional style, or explanatory style to use Peterson's Abramson, 1990). We are concerned that using the phrase term, is a core concept in the reformulation of learned help- explanatory style may obscure this very valuable connection. lessness and depression (Abramson, Seligman, & Teasdale, Second, the "explanation" of an event would seem to in- 1978) and its recent revision, the hopelessness theory volve inferences about the event's probable consequences (Abramson, Metalsky, & Alloy, 1989). Attributional style and implications for one's self-concept as well as causal refers to people's characteristic ways of explaining the attributions (i.e., inferred consequences and inferred charac- causes of events. This concept has been the focus of much teristics about the self; Abramson et al., 1989). research attention, debate, and criticism. In his important and thoughtful article, Peterson cogently Why Form a Composite? addresses many conceptual and methodological criticisms that have been leveled at the construct of attributional style. We generally found Peterson's response to this question compelling. Of relevance,