The Role of Severity in Consumer Attributions of Blame

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents results from a study in Mexico which suggest that observers ' perceptions of the severity of a product-harm crisis affect their assessment of blame to the firm when culpability is ambiguous. As perceptions of crisis severity increase, more blame is assessed to the firm. This finding is consistent regardless of whether the nationality of the victims is the same or different from that of the observers. Perceptions of severity are in turn affected by the observer's tolerance for ambiguity-the lower the tolerance for ambiguity, the higher the perception of crisis severity. The theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed.