How the external and internal attribution theory can affect interracial employee relationships

With a struggling economy, employment has become one of the most competitive aspects of our community. Not only is this constant competition seen among people searching for an adequate job in this time of need, but also within the inner-workings of a business. However, the conflict in the inner-workings of a business may not always be caused by the struggling economy, but rather from the relationship among employees. The external and internal attribution theory can be a tremendous issue affecting employee relationships. External attribution theory causes people to use exterior reasons for the consequences of their actions, whereas internal attribution theory causes a person to blame himself or herself for the causality of certain consequences. These theories can cause miscommunication in the workplace, and allow for a sense of superiority or inferiority among co-workers. This creates an extremely hostile environment, and a business built on unsteady grounds.

The different usage of the external or internal attribution theory among employees is one reason for unstable employee relationships. This can be caused by differences in culture and history. White males have run America since the beginning of time, which has created a sense of a “white standard” in our country. The white standard is a skewed belief that, in order to prosper, being white and successful is key. This can be correlated to the usage of the external attribution theory of white people. If a white person feels superior, they are more likely to blame the consequences of their actions on external factors. If a CEO is struggling with his business, he may attribute it to the employees in lower positions who are not doing their job correctly. However, this is not to say that all white people feel superior, or use the external attribution theory.

On the other hand, black people have struggled in America for many years, and still continue to struggle. Dating back to the time of slavery, black people were made to feel unintelligent and inferior to white people. Even today, black people sometimes struggle with institutional racism. This may be the cause of their usage of the internal attribution theory. If culturally, they have been made to feel different and separate from white people, they may blame causality on internal factors, and even feel inferior to others.

The usage of the internal or external attribution theory can be the root of much miscommunication among employees. If an employee, who exercises the external attribution theory in order to explain causality, constantly confronts an employee who exercises the internal attribution theory, resentment could be formed. As a result, people who use the internal attribution theory may begin to resent themselves for causing a problem, and also may begin to dislike the user of the external attribution theory. This difference in usage of theory also correlates to the sense of superiority and inferiority among employees in the workplace. Those who believe they are the cause of a problem may be more prone to feel inferior to someone who blames others for a failure. People who blame others for the causality of a situation may be more prone to feelings of superiority. This feeling of inferiority can be associated with institutional racism. If a black employee, who utilizes the internal attribution theory, is reprimanded about a problem by a white employee who utilizes the external attribution theory, it may seem like, or very well may be, racism.

Therefore, the different usages of the external and internal attribution theories can affect relationships of employees within a business. Although we cannot change someone’s history or culture, we can understand that there are differences present. A white CEO of a corporation may need to be more sensitive in blaming a black employee for a malfunction within a business, knowing that it may be interpreted as institutional racism. continues here

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