Accounting for Behaviour — Theoretical Approaches

Throughout life, we find that our actions can have an undesirable effect on others (or groups of others), either directly through our behaviour — careless, stupid, offensive and so on — or indirectly, through confounding their social expectations (Gonzales et al, 1992: 958). These situations may have considerable implications for individuals, and can range from a hurtful remark directed at another person through to deliberate, deviant behaviour of an illegal nature. It is for these types of situations that individuals normally feel that they need to account for their actions.