3: Social Perception - Attribution & Attitudes Flashcards

1
Q

What is attribution?

A

The process where we come up with causal explanations for others behaviour or our own

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Who came up with naive scientist theory?

A

Heider

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is naive scientist theory?

A

People are naturally orientated towards causal thinking as we have a need to predict and control

A tendency to search for stable and enduring properties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the main assumptions of naive scientist theory?

A

A tendency to assume behaviour is motivated

Searching for stable and enduring properties of the world

Distinguishing between external and internal explanations for behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Who came up with the correspondent inferences theory?

A

Jones and Davis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the correspondent inferences theory?

A

We use other people’s behaviour as a basis for inferring their stable dispositions

5 sources of information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

According to correspondent inferences theory, what 5 sources of information do we use to infer people’s stable dispositions?

A

Freely chosen behaviour: Is their behaviour by their own will?

Non-common effects: Are they behaving normally?

Social desirability: Is their behaviour socially desirable?

Relevance to us

Intention to affect us

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

According to correspondent inferences theory, what information do we gain about people’s disposition from their freely chosen behaviour?

A

Are they being pressured to behave a certain way?

If their behaviour is completely freely-chosen, we infer it’s because of their disposition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

According to correspondent inferences theory, what information do we gain about people’s disposition from non-common effects?

A

Are they behaving normally?

If they’re being abnormal, it gives us a lot more information about a person

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

According to correspondent inferences theory, what information do we gain about people’s disposition from social desirability?

A

We learn more about disposition if they’re behaving undesirably

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Who came up with the covariation model?

A

Kelley

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the covariation model?

A

To develop theories about people’s behaviour, we search for two things that happen together

We use 3 bits of information to decide if it was internally or externally caused:
Consistency
Consensus
Distinctiveness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What 3 bits of information do we use to determind if behaviour is externally or internally caused according to the covariation model?

A

Consistency: Does the person act the same way to a stimulus every time?

Consensus: Do other people act the same way to the stimulus?

Distinctiveness: How do people act when presented with stimuli that are similar but not the same?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the weaknesses of the covariation model?

A

Wrongly assumes that our actions are always intentional

Assumes we always have all the information needed to attribute behaviour to internal or external causes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What dimensions do we consider when making an attribution?

A

Internal or external cause

Stable (Like disposition) or unstable (Like personality)

To what extent is it under the person’s control?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is correspondence bias?

A

This is the tendency to overestimate the extent to which people’s behaviour is due to internal factors and underestimate the role of situational factors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is fundamental attribution error?

A

Overestimating the importance of the actor and underestimating the situation

18
Q

What is actor observer bias?

A

We are more likely to attribute other people’s behaviour to themselves and consider it to be more stable and predictable than our own

Tendency to think that if others make mistakes, it’s their fault but if we make mistakes, it’s situational.

19
Q

What is ultimate attribution error?

A

Tendency to see whole groups that we’re not a member of as similar and having negative dispositions

Tendency to explain negative outgroup behaviour internally and positive outgroup behaviour as externally

20
Q

Who came up with the idea of ultimate attribution error?

21
Q

What are the reasons for ultimate attribution error?

A

Cognitive factors: Behaviour is more attention-grabbing than the background

Motivational factors: Preserve our own positive identity

Cultural factors: The explanations we produce depend on culture

22
Q

How can motivational factors be used to explain the ultimate attribution error?

A

We explain the world in ways that preserve our own positive identity

23
Q

How can cultural factors be used to explain the ultimate attribution error?

A

Explanations we produce depend on culture

24
Q

How can cognitive factors be used to explain the ultimate attribution error?

A

Behaviour is more salient than background so we assume behaviour is internal instead of external

We have more information about ourselves than the outgroup

25
What is W.E.I.R.D?
Bias in psychology towards using certain participants ``` Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic ```
26
Why is participant bias (WEIRD) a problem?
Individualist cultures are mainly used but they are more self-serving than collectivist cultures so theories can't be applied to both
27
What is an attitude?
A tendency to evaluate something with a degree of favour or disfavour
28
What do attitudes effect?
Beliefs Feelings Behavioural tendencies
29
What is the three componant model of attitudes?
Affective: Feelings about the object Behavioural: Predisposition to act towards the object in a certain way Cognitive: Beliefs about the object
30
What is the affective componant of the three componant model of attitudes?
Our feelings about the object
31
What is the behavioural componant of the three componant model of attitudes?
Our predisposition to behave in a certain way towards the object
32
What is the cognitive componant of the three componant model of attitudes?
Our beliefs about an object
33
What are the functions of attitudes according to Katz?
Value-expressive: Expressing something we believe is important to us Instrumental: Some attitudes have a goal and help us make sense of the world Ego-defensive: Protecting our self-esteem Knowledge
34
What is the value expressive function of attitudes according to Katz?
Expressing something we think is important to us
35
What is the instrumental function of attitudes according to Katz?
Some attitudes have a goal and help us make sense of the world
36
What is the ego defensive function of attitudes according to Katz?
Protecting our self esteem
37
What is cognitive balance theory?
Balance is assessed by counting the number and types of relationships between elements (8 possible combinations) If there is an odd number of relationships (Positive v Negative) then it's unbalanced. We are motivated to acheive balance by changing whichever attitude is easiest
38
What are the three componants of balance theory?
Person Others Attitude
39
Are all attitudes related to behaviour?
No. Specific attitudes predict behaviour more than general ones Stronger attitudes are more linked with behaviour
40
How can attitudes and behaviour vary?
Accessibility (of attitude and how easy the behaviour is to perform) Public vs private expression How normative that attitude is in our group
41
What is the theory of reasoned action?
Attitudes are more likely to predict behaviour if we first have the intention to act