3.11 Attributions 2: Multiple Contingencies Thinking

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From the course by University of Toronto

The Arts and Science of Relationships: Understanding Human Needs

89 ratings

University of Toronto

The Arts and Science of Relationships: Understanding Human Needs

89 ratings

This course provides an introduction to: 1. Basic concepts of The Strategies and Skills Learning and Development System (SSLD), their relevance for every day relationships and provide advanced concepts for participants who work in fields of social work and health care . 2. Basic practice principles and methods of SSLD, illustrated by relationship management case studies. 3. The SSLD framework for relationship management assessment; N3C (needs, circumstances, characteristics, capacity) and problem translation. 4. Core competencies in the relationship management application of the SSLD system: Observation learning, simulation, real life implementation, review and monitoring.

From the lesson

Module 3 - Communication

This module covers topics on how to build and manage your relationships through effective communication skills such as listening, understanding, reception, and expression.

3.10 Attributions 1: Introduction3:35

3.11 Attributions 2: Multiple Contingencies Thinking3:07

3.12 Attributions 3: Needs2:55

3.13 Signifying Acts4:28

3.14 Signifying Acts and Culture2:53

3.15 Cultural Literacy Approach4:46

Meet the Instructors

A. Ka Tat Tsang
Founder of the SSLD System; Professor and Factor-Inwentash Chair in Social Work in the Global Community
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

It sounds almost like a way of sort of simplifying the world or

simplifying a situation for yourself to understand.

>> Well yeah, I think that is a good way to put it.

Most people actually are seeking simple attributions, but

what we're advocating in the SSLD is that we introduce multiple contingencies thinking,

meaning that we recognize that most human realities are more

complicated than a simple one to one relationship.

So when a relationship breaks down, it's normally not just

because of one reason.

It's usually because of multiple reasons but sometimes we make attributions simple

because one, it takes time and energy to deal with more complicated attributions.

Two is that the kind of attributions people choose

were actually more often related to their own needs.

I make attributions that will make me feel better.

I make attributions that's more consistent with my view of the world.

Say for example, if I am a xenophobic person, I really do not

like to see these immigrants or people who are different in my neighbourhood.

So if anything goes wrong, I would just say, okay,

this is because of these people who are different. That's causing my discomfort.

And we find it all the time.

Say for example, if you see a black person

doing something violent and you attribute it to their race.

But when we look at global statistics on violence,

then we find, it is not really race, it is like ancient trend, young men

are more likely to be violent than any other demographic combination.

But then in a context like North America we are more likely to be

attributing it to, you know, ethno-racial characteristics which

might be totally irrelevant in another context.

But that is, sort of a very common attribution that we make.

And of course, when people make this kind of attribution we sometimes we

refer to that as an attribution error.

>> Yeah. >> Right, because it's not accurate.

>> Of course.

>> In SSLD, we believe in multiple contingencies thinking meaning that

the cause of something cannot be explained by just one simple attribution and

there are usually many other underlying factors.

For example, there are actually multiple reasons of relationship failure rather

than the simple attribution that we tend to make.

People make simple attribution, because it takes time and

energy to deal with the more complicated ones, and

we tend to make attributions that will make us feel better.

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