Blaming Is Like Catching the Flu

VirusNew research in social psychology has found that shifting blame to others is socially “contagious.” The study concluded that observing someone publicly blaming another individual for a problem greatly increases the odds that blame-shifting will spread like a virus. We become significantly more inclined to blame a person if we first witness an act of blaming in a social setting.

Researchers figure the “viral” nature of blaming stems from the common tendency to self-protect—even attacks directed at someone else can make us defensive. According to one researcher, our reflex is “to protect our own self-image by blaming others for our mistakes, which may feel good in the moment.” “Blaming becomes common when people are worried about their safety in an organization,” said Professor Larissa Tiedens. “There is likely to be more blaming going on when people feel their jobs are threatened.” Public blaming by leaders of a business, for example, can have a demoralizing effect on workers. A leader who publicly acknowledges his or her own mistakes, rather than pointing fingers, can foster a positive attitude in the workplace.

The new findings echo similar points that are often emphasized on the problem of blaming. Because blame is externally focused, it undermines taking personal responsibility for a failure. By not looking at what role we played in the problem situation, we tend just to wait for others to improve. And since they are usually blind to what they are doing, scapegoaters often continue to do harm while never doubting their own goodness or their victim’s guilt.

Related Links

  • Shifting Blame Is Socially Contagious
    This article discusses the findings of new research on the social contagion of blaming. (Source: Science News, November 19, 2009)
  • Five Truths about Blame and How It Impacts Our Performance
    This article details how blaming others saps energy and productivity in persons and organizations, thus blocking desired success, and proposes ways to develop positive approaches to personal responsibility. (Source: hodu.com; accessed December 2, 2009)
  • What Is Scapegoating?
    This Web page explores scapegoating, especially the hidden costs of this common form of blame-shifting. (Source: The Raven Foundation; accessed December 2, 2009)
  • Blame: Assigning Responsibility for a LossThis Web page focuses on blaming as it relates especially to loss and grief. (Source: Emotional Competency; accessed December 2, 2009)

4 Comments

  1. jewel says:

    crazy

  2. Me says:

    When there is somthing wrong and it’s my fault the first thing I do is find some1 to blame,which probably makes me a bad person rite.?????

    • Desmont says:

      While I am sympathic to Patrick’s cause, he is not occrert about Kill Bill. The bride is out for revenge for whomever tried to do her in, woman or man. And boy is she pissed off. A point can be made that revenge only begets revenge in this film, but perpetuating violence against women is not a message in this film, neither explicit nor implicit.