A robust finding in the psycholinguistic literature is that for many interpersonal verbs there is a clear bias concerning which argument caused the state or event described by the verb. In 'Steve praised Ann', Ann is usually considered the cause, whereas in 'Steve charmed Ann', Steve is the preferred cause. This bias is called 'implicit verb causality'. My project investigates the causes and consequences of implicit verb causality, particularly focusing on usage-based explanations.