The document discusses attribution bias, the natural tendency to attribute behavior to internal factors for others and external factors for ourselves. This bias also affects brands, as negative events are often attributed to a brand's perceived character rather than situational factors. Understanding this bias can help brands navigate public perception and prepare for potential crises.

1. Psycho-Sensory Principles of Brand-Building
The Attribution Bias
Frank Schab | CEO Six-Degrees Brand-Building
01

2. Attribution refers to the way in which we attribute the cause of our own
or others’ behavior.

3. An attribution bias is a natural tendancy we have when evaluating why people behave
the way they do.
“What’s his deal?”

4. We attribute the cause of our own
and others’ behavior to:
External Reasons
based on the situation or circumstance
Internal Reasons
based on the individual characteristics of the person
OR

5. attribution bias
: We tend to attribute the behavior of
others to internal characteristics and our
own behavior to environmental or
external causes.

6. When we do this we tend to be more forgiving of
our own behavior and less so of others.
External Reasons
based on the situation or circumstance
Internal Reasons
based on the individual characteristics of the person
ME
YOU

7. Example 1
Someone is
aggressively
weaving in and
out of traffic to
get ahead.

8. Most people
will attribute
the cause to something like:
Internal Reasons
a) They are self-centered
b) They are an idiot
c) They are an asshole
d) They are intoxicated
e) Any combination of the above

9. Few would stop
to ask themselves whether they are:
External Reasons
a) Trying to get to the hospital
for an emergency
b) Pursuing a kidnapper who has their child
c) Trying to save a suicidal friend
?

10. Example 2
A job candidate stumbles slightly on the way into
an interview room.

11. Internal Reasons
a) They are clumsy
b) They are unobservant or don’t see well
c) They are nervous or fearful
d) They are intoxicated
e) Any combination of the above
Most people
will attribute
the cause to something like:

12. Few would stop
to ask themselves whether:
External Reasons
a) The threshold is raised
b) Someone just spilled coffee on floor
c) The transition from carpet to concrete may cause uncertainty in one’s step
?

13. So, what does this mean for brands?

14. Brands live in our thoughts, perceptions
and emotions.

15. That means when a brand does something, or something happens
to it, that brand is subject to the same attribution bias that affects
how we interpret human behavior.

16. Bottom Line...
If it’s bad, the
brand will be blamed.
Attribution Bias for Brands:
Internal Reasons

17. Internal Reasons
a) They have poor quality control
b) They value sales over safety
c) Their engineering practices must be substandard
d) They possess faulty software
e) Any combination of the above
Consider:
Toyota’s recent unintended
acceleration problems...

18. Internal Reasons
a) They have inferior technology & standards
b) They deliberately misinform the public
c) They have inadequate employee training
d) They possessed an inadequate strategy for flight routes
e) Any combination of the above
Consider:
Malaysia Airlines’ loss of flights

19. Internal Reasons
a) They must not care about public shootings
b) It’s all about selling guns & not preserving human life
c) They’re out of touch with what’s happening in our culture
d) They are insensitive jerks
e) Any combination of the above
Consider:
When the
NRA Tweeted
“Happy Friday,
Shooters” on
the day after the
Aurora, Colorado
shooting incident…

20. The Lesson
Because…
the public will have the tendency to attribute bad news or behaviors
to a brand’s character…
It should…
Plan for the negative eventualities and leverage them for the positives!

21. Frank Schab is CEO of Six Degrees—a unique brand-building agency that combines psychology-based tools and techniques with sensory branding methods to achieve better results for
companies. Prior to co-founding Six Degrees in 1999 along with
its signature approach to brand-building called “psycho-sensory,” Frank held positions at General Motors and Pfizer, served as a Managing Partner at Interbrand New York, and a VP of Global Brand Research at Opinion Research Corporation. His distinctive brand-building work in various sectors including hospitality,
medical device, pharmaceutical, automotive and technology has taken him to 17 countries on four continents. Frank holds a
doctorate in psychology from Yale University.

22. PSYCHO-SENSORY
BRAND-BUILDING
Psychology-based tools & techniques
+ sensory branding methods
Learn more at: www.six-degrees.com