4.1 Attrition Theory & Person Perception Flashcards
Attribution (theory)
Humans are wired to wonder why and assign causes to actions and behaviors. The study of how we assign causes.
Error
Mistake once in a while
Bias
Consistent mistake
Dispositional Attributions
attributing a person’s actions to internal characteristics, such as their personality traits.
Situational Attributions
The idea that a behavior or event is caused by external factors like the environment or situation a person is in.
Explanatory Style
Optimistic vs. pessimistic
Actor-Observer bias
Attributing one’s own actions to external causes while attributing other people’s behaviors to internal causes.
Fundamental Attribution Error
explaining someone’s behavior based on internal factors like personality or disposition, and to underestimate the influence that external factors have on another person’s behavior.
Self-Serving Bias
The tendency to attribute positive events to their own character and negative events to external factors.
Internal Locus of Control
Things happen because of you. (You have control) Most common with high levels of self-esteem, and more likely to develop healthy coping skills.
External Locus of Control
Things happen to you. (You have no control) If an extreme it can turn into learned helplessness.
Mere Exposure Effect
Phenomenon that causes people to prefer things they are familiar with.
*Familiarity principle.
Self Fulfilling prophecy
The belief or expectation that someone or something unknowingly influences their behavior, making the expectation true.
Social Comparison
People are driven to compare themselves to others to gain a more accurate understanding of themselves.
Relative Deprivation
The feeling of not having enough resources to maintain a desired lifestyle or the feeling of being worse off than others.
