6. Attribution

Question 1

When do we seek attributions?

Answer 1

• violated expectancies
• failure to attain a goal
• loss of control
• anticipate future interaction
• negative behaviours

Question 2

To what kinds of causes do we attribute?

Answer 2

1. Internal/external
2. Stable/unstable causes
3. Controllable/uncontrollable causes

Question 3

Conditions of correspondent inference (remembered info)

Answer 3

• freely chosen behaviour
• actions low in social desirability
• actions with non-common distinctive effects

Question 4

Attribution when there are multiple causes - what tendencies are seen?

Answer 4

• discounting: tendency to downplay the importance of one cause when others exist
• augmenting: tendency to increase the importance of one cause when behaviour occurs in presence of an inhibitory factor

Question 5

What comprises the fundamental attribution error?

Answer 5

• actor-observer effect

- self-serving bias

Question 6

Actor-observer effect: what is it?

Answer 6

Tendency to attribute own behaviour to external causes, but others to internal

Question 7

Self-serving bias: what is it?

Answer 7

Tendency to take credit for successes and blame failures on the situation

Question 8

Actor-observer effect: causes?

Answer 8

• differences in perceptual salience
  TO THE ACTOR: the situation is most salient
  TO THE OBSERVER: the actor grabs attention
• differences in information:
  observers have no access to actors behavioural history

Question 9

Self-serving bias: causes?

Answer 9

• differing needs to protect and enhance own self-esteem

Question 10

What is the difference between in-self-attribution and in-other-attribution?

Answer 10

in-self: comparing our behaviour with behaviours in different situations
in-other: comparing person’s behaviour to other people in same situation

Question 11

What information do we use when forming impressions?

Answer 11

• central traits (e.g. warm/cold)
• information presented first
• impressions of others consist of both exemplars and then move on to abstractions (mental summaries of general behaviour)

Question 12

Define impression management.

Answer 12

Efforts to produce a favourable first impression

Question 13

What two forms can impression management take?

Answer 13

self-enhancement: boost one’s own appeal e.g. fashion, boasting
other-enhancement: induce positive mood in others e.g. flattery (if over-used: slime effect)

Question 14

What forms can self-handicapping take?

Answer 14

• avoid simple attribution (e.g. simply don’t try)
• avoid internal attribution (e.g. don’t drink alcohol)
• increase glory of success

Question 15

Outline implicit personality theory.

Answer 15

the ordinary person’s theory about which personality traits go with other traits.
- filling in the gaps of first impressions

Question 16

What is attribution

Answer 16

The search for a cause for certain behaviour

Question 17

Conditions of correspondent inference

Answer 17

— freely chosen behaviors
- forced ones are ignored
— actions with noncommon, distinctive effects
- marrying a rich, intelligent and attractive
- marrying a rich, stupid, and unattractive man
— actions low in social desirability

Question 18

Fundamental attribution error

Answer 18

Situational factors are not taken fully into account
We rate Laura even if she has no choice

why?
— Further information means more effort
— salience of Person overshadows the situation

Question 19

Information used for Impression formation

Answer 19

— Central traits (e.g. warm and cold)
— Information presented first
— Impressions of others consist of both exemplars and then move onto abstractions (mental summaries of general behaviour)
— overall characteristics are deduced from specific actions/behaviour; applying social structures/norms to interpret behaviour (e.g. spitting = disrespect, hatred)