4.1 Attribution Theory and Person Perception Flashcards
Person Perception
How we form impressions of ourselves and others, including new attributions of behavior.
Attribution Theory
The theory that we can explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation (a situational attribution) or the person’s traits (a dispositional attribution)
Fundamental Attribution Error
The tendency for observers, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.
Actor-Observer Bias
The tendency for those acting in a situation to attribute their behavior to external causes, but for observers to attribute others’ behavior to internal causes. This contributes to the fundamental attribution error.
Explanatory Style
Demonstrating a predictable pattern of attributes.
Self-Serving Bias
A perceptual error, people with high self esteem and self-confidence typically credit their good deeds and accomplishments to their own traits, and blame their mistakes and failures on the situation.
Social Comparison
By comparing ourselves to others, we judge whether we’re succeeding or failing.
Prejudice
An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves negative emotions, stereotyped beliefs, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.
Stereotype
A generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.
Cognitive Load
Effort
Discrimination
Unjustifiable negative behavior towards a group or it’s members.
Implicit Attitudes
An unthinking knee-jerk response operating below the radar, leaving us unaware of how our attitudes are influenced by our behavior.
Just-World Phenomenon
The tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.
Social Identity
The “we” aspect of our self concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships.
Ingroup Bias
The tendency to favor our own group.
Ethnocentrism
The tendency to view our own ethnic or racial group as superior.
Out-Group Homogeneity Bias
The tendency to assume uniformity of attitudes, personality, and appearance of people outside of one’s group.
Scapegoat Theory
The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.
Other-Race Effect
The tendency to recall faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces if other races. Also called the cross-race effect and the own-race bias.
Pessimistic Explanatory Style
When one explains a situation to themself in a way which is permanent, pervasive, and personal.
Optimistic Explanatory Style
When one explains a situation to themself in a way which is temporary, specific, and external.
Upward Social Comparison
When one compares themself to those they perceive as better off.
Downward Social Comparison
When one compares themself to someone they perceive as less fortunate.
