Attribution theory, judgmental biases, and cognitive behavior modification: Prospects and problems

This article discusses the prospects and problems of applying theoretical constructs and empirical findings in the area of human attribution and judgmental processes to cognitive behavioral treatment approaches. The widespread existence of biases and judgmental errors among lay people are discussed together with suggestions for the uses of techniques to reduce these biases. Finally, the limitations of attributional retraining and debiasing techniques are highlighted particularly for clients with more severe problems where traditional behavioral and or pharmacological interventions may also be required.