Ways in which causal reasoning influences mental wellbeing

Introduction

According to Martinko et al. (2002), causal reasoning is a mental activity that drives the

intuition that forms the basis of one’s mental stability. It involves the process of identifying

causality, through establishing the relationship that exists between a cause and its subsequent

effect thus influencing mental wellbeing. This essay will look at the various ways in which

causal reasoning influences mental wellbeing with regards to expectancy, information

searching, weighing situations and considering outcomes.

Discussion

 Causal reasoning may alter expectancies of outcomes whereby the subjective possibility

that a certain outcome will be as a result of a particular action such as in the case of

pathological gamblers who believe that have an illusion of control, which is self-

deception (Waldmann, 2017).

 Causal reasoning is also likely to affect the kind of information an individual looks for

prior to making a choice such as the causal outcomes that are consequences of the

existing options (Huber et al., 2011).

 A study by Muller et al. (2013) indicate that causal reasoning affects how one measures

the different available information when predicting a particular outcome before choosing

which is likely to lead to bias.

 Causal thinking may also impact on the variables that are being considered by an

individual through an intervention in the case that the outcome cannot be manipulated

directly such as in the case of body weight (Ahn et al., 2009)

Conclusion

As discussed in this essay, causal reason influences mental wellbeing in various ways,

attributed to self-signalling acts such as self-deception.

References

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Huber, O., Huber, O.W. and Bär, A.S., 2011. Information search and mental representation in

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Martinko, M.J., Gundlach, M.J. and Douglas, S.C., 2002. Toward an integrative theory of

counterproductive workplace behavior: A causal reasoning perspective. International Journal

of Selection and Assessment, 10(1‐2), pp.36-50.

Müller, S.M., Garcia-Retamero, R., Galesic, M. and Maldonado, A., 2013. The impact of

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Waldmann, M. ed., 2017. The Oxford handbook of causal reasoning. Oxford University

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