The folk concept of intentionality

Author(s): Knobe, J.

Journal/Book: J Exp Soc Psychol. 1997; 33: 525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495. Academic Press Inc Jnl-Comp Subscriptions. 101-121.

Abstract: When perceiving, explaining, or criticizing human behavior, people distinguish between intentional and unintentional actions. To do so, they rely on a shared folk concept of intentionality. In contrast to past speculative models, this article provides an empirically based model of this concept. Study 1 demonstrates that people agree substantially in their judgments of intentionality, suggesting a shared underlying concept. Study 2 reveals that when asked to define directly the term intentional, people mention four components of intentionality: desire, belief, intention, and awareness. Study 3 confirms the importance of a fifth component, namely skill. In light of these findings, the authors propose a model of the folk concept of intentionality and provide a further test in Study 4. The discussion compares the proposed model to past ones and examines its implications for social perception, attribution, and cognitive development.

Note: Article Malle BF, Univ Oregon, Dept Psychol, Eugene,OR 97403 USA

Keyword(s): ATTRIBUTION; BEHAVIOR; BELIEFS; DESIRES; REASONS; CUES

Zurück | Weiter