Perceived Causal Influences of Weather

Abstract

Perception of weather's causal influence was examined. Using a revised model of the attributional process, predicted that the weather's perceived influence would be greater for observers than for actors, for affective states than for behaviors, for negative affective states and behavior than for positive ones, and for individuals with an external rather than internal locus of control. Subjects were asked to rate weather's influence on 50 affective states and 108 behaviors. Based on previous ratings of their social desirability value, half of the items in each category were positively valued and half negatively. Some subjects were asked to rate the weather's influence on themselves and some on other people. Subjects also completed Rotter's Locus of Control scale using a Likert response format. Analysis of variance on the weather influence ratings supported the first, second, and last hypotheses but not the third. Positive feelings and behavior were rated as being more heavily influenced than negative ones.