From Actions to Impressions: Cognitive Attribution Theory and the Formation of Corporate Reputation

Psychologists have long studied how people form impressions about others based on observed behavior, a principal suggestion being that behavior can be attributed either to the internal disposition of the observed person, or to factors of the external situation that constrain possible actions. This paper reviews cognitive processes that influence such attributions and discusses their applicability to the formation of impressions about corporations based on corporate behavior. Managers can more effectively use public service initiatives to enhance the reputations of their corporations if the initiatives are conducted in a manner that invites observers to attribute them to the disposition of the corporation rather than to situational constraints.