February 12, 2022; Week 06 Response to “ Attributional Tendencies”

                        I am grateful that I have learned the lesson, “Attributional Tendencies” because it assures me of how deep Heavenly Father’s love for His children despite our flaws and mistakes. It is unconditional and unfathomable love. It is priceless! I must say that I have always believed in Karma, when I see neighbors with decent and well-groomed children and having good-paying jobs, I would immediately conclude and credit the parents for their great work. I always think that they are great parents because their offspring grew up decently and productively. But when I learn that a neighbor has children who grew up addicted, rebels, and unemployed, I would immediately conclude that the parents must have not raised them very well. Maybe, there were too busy to care or too immature to carry out their calling as parents. It is so judgemental of me! I read a few stories that no matter how loving, hardworking, and caring parents are, children, end up on the wrong path. While some children grew up in dysfunctional families but ended up successful and kind people. Indeed, we cannot conclude that a basket of apples would all taste edible and sweet on the other we cannot hastily say that they are all rotten. People have the tendency to think about what a situation is attributed to and that depends on the culture that we grew up with. Some countries believe in the cause and effect scenario such as the children’s mistakes are consequences of their own actions and not a result of their parents’ failures. Although there is a consequence in every action of a person, we cannot blame our parents, guardians, teachers, leaders, or employers for our response to whatever stimulus the world is giving us because we always have the choice to what kind of response are we going to render or do. As the lesson identifies that “Attributional tendencies refer to what do we attribute success, to what do we attribute our personal failures, to what do we attribute the successes of others, to what do we attribute the failures of others. In our culture, in all cultures, we're always attributing things to other things, like other causes.”  This is inevitable, people love connections and links to analyze every situation, every dilemma, and every circumstance of a person. I, myself have the tendency to overthink or blame myself if misfortune comes my way, I would resort to thinking that I probably have hurt or offended someone that is why I did not get this or that. I start beating and blaming myself. But now, studying this, all of us can start understanding that being accountable for one’s actions is important and regardless of what culture we grew up in, we can be assured that our creator has the most loyal and unfailing love. All we need to do is follow His commandments and we will be blessed and rewarded regardless if we come from a dysfunctional family or a pretty neat family. We can also avoid blaming ourselves which an internal attribution or blaming anyone such as the government or church leaders who are part of the external attributions. As an ESL Teacher, I can always help the learners to understand that being accountable for one’s choice is important. They have to think, examine, study and observe before they make decisions because if the output or result is good or bad, they should not resort to blaming internal and external attributions instead continue to rely on the fact that it is their choice, not others. Asians such as people from Hongkong and India attribute their successes and failures internally such as themselves while Americans attribute their successes and failures externally such as the government.

What can a person do to avoid thinking of these attributions and be accountable for his own decision?