How the Mind Explains Behavior

"In this monograph, Bertram Malle describes behavior explanations as having a dual nature - as being both cognitive and social acts - and proposes a comprehensive theoretical model that integrates the two aspects. When people try to understand puzzling human behavior, they construct behavior explanations, which are a fundamental tool of social cognition. But Malle argues, behavior explanations exist not only in the mind; they are also overt verbal actions used for social purposes. When people explain their own behavior or the behavior of others, they are using the explanation to manage a social interaction - by offering clarification, trying to save face, or casting blame. Malle's account makes clear why these two aspects of behavior explanation exist and why they are closely linked; along the way, he illustrates the sophisticated and subtle patterns of folk behavior explanations."--BOOK JACKET.