Attribution

Question 1

What are the 4 ways in which we assign causes of behaviours?

Answer 1

• Dispositions
• Intentions
• Opinions
• Situations

Question 2

What is the naive scientist view?

Answer 2

Kelly 1967 - we systematically observe and assign causes to things based on fitting our observations (consensus, distinctiveness, consistency)

Question 3

What have ‘forced’ essay studies shown?

Answer 3

That people attribute opinions to student writing essay even when informed that student had no choice in essay topic

Question 4

What is the fundamental attribution error?

Answer 4

Over-attribution of behaviour to stable dispositional causes and not situational factors

Question 5

When is the fundamental attribution error enhanced?

Answer 5

• quick judgments
• cognitive busyness
• good mood
• not knowing much about the person

Question 6

What is the actor-observer bias?

Answer 6

More likely to attribute external factors as causes for our own decisions (situational) and dispositional factors for the actions of others

Question 7

What is the self-serving attribution bias?

Answer 7

Taking credit for success but denying responsibility for one’s failure

Question 8

What is self-handicapping?

Answer 8

Pre-emptive attribution of failure to a situation which can result in behavioural self-sabotaging so that when we fail we do not need to attribute this to our own disposition

Question 9

How do collectivist cultures differ in their methods of attribution?

Answer 9

• Attribute less to disposition as personality is seen to be more changeable
• More hollistic cognitive style

Question 10

What are the characteristics of the attributions of victims?

Answer 10

Evaluate as having negative characteristics

Question 11

What is the ‘just-world’ theory?

Answer 11

People prefer to see te world as fair with bad things happening to those who deserve it in order to avoid feelings of loss of control