The sense of agency and the attribution of responsibility in human behavior

作者：Jingjin Gu, Ke Zhao, Xiaolan Fu · 发表于：Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1360/tb-2019-0715 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Free Will and Agency、Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment、Deception detection and forensic psychology

The sense of agency refers to subjective experience of controlling external environment through voluntary actions. When individuals interact with the outside world through their behaviors, the feeling of “I am the initiator of this action” may induce a self-attributed responsibility. Moreover, a sense of agency may allow individuals to choose between different options by predicting their consequences. Therefore, the ability to control one’s own behavior can be used as an index for responsibility attribution in moral and legal fields. Here, we review the factors influencing sense of agency and responsibility attribution. Some empirical studies highlight the intention of actions and the value of outcomes. The intention is a prerequisite for sense of agency and responsibility, and the characteristics of subsequent events affect how we perceive our behaviors. Other studies support the internal comparator model, which suggests that the match between prediction based on efferent copy of motor command and actual sensory feedback is the premise of sense of agency. In joint actions, the generation and level of sense of agency and responsibility are related to group identity, social status and other factors. When two individuals cooperate as equals in the management of an event, the new identity of “we” is a force that results in a sense of control over their partners’ behavior. But participating as a follower in the teamwork, being in the presence of another agent (even if it has no c...