| Communication Event | Internal Attribution | External Attribution |
|---|
| Your romantic partner doesn't reply after you send a flirtatious text message. | “My partner doesn't care about me.” | “My partner is probably too busyto respond.” |
| Your unfriendly coworker greets you warmly. | “My coworker is friendlier than I thought.” | “Something unusual must have happened to make my coworker act so friendly.” |
| Your friend ridicules your taste in music. | “My friend has an unpredictable mean streak.” | “My friend must be having a really bad day.” |