Untitled Document
 Have
you ever blamed someone else for your mistakes? Most of you probably
have. After all, it’s easier to blame others rather than take responsibilities
for our actions. It’s human nature. Although experts in behavioral
science have long known that people blame others when things don’t
work out, they weren’t exactly
sure why people behaved this way, until now.
Recently, researchers at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at
University College London conducted a study to figure out why people blame
others. They gathered 34 participants and asked them to press keys
that produced three different noises. The noises were: positive, such
as amusement and laughter; negative,
such as fear, disgust, or anger; or neutral.
 The participants
were asked to estimate the time that it
took between when they pushed the button and when they heard the sound.
The participants reported feeling that there was a longer time between
when they pushed the button and got the negative sounds than between
when they pushed the button and received the positive sounds. The
participants believed that the negative outcomes were separate from their actions
and thus were able to feel less responsible for them.
The study concluded that when it comes
to assigning blame, we shouldn’t
trust our own judgment. “Just because you don’t feel responsible,
doesn’t mean you’re actually not,” said Patrick Haggard, the study’s
lead author. Mr. Haggard suggested that more of us
need to realize that unpleasant or negative situations may actually be
our fault, even if we don’t feel
that way. |
Staff
reporter Jessica Kim
(jessicakim@timescore.co.kr)
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