Attribution and social explanation

Question 1

naive psychologist

Answer 1

model of social cognition that characterizes people as using rational scientific-like cause-effect analyses to understand their world

Question 2

Attribution general definition

Answer 2

Determining causality in people’s behavior: Why does this person behave like he/she does?

Question 3

How do we make sense of our world and other peoples actions?

Answer 3

Attribution

Question 4

we distinguish between personal and environmental factors in attributing

Answer 4

Internal/dispositional attributions
• Behavior is determined by people’s personality
o External/situational attributions
• Behavior is determined by the situation

Question 5

Correspondent inference theory

Answer 5

o When do we conclude whether someone’s behavior corresponds to his/her dispositions?
o We prefer to make dispositional attributions because this makes other people predictable, and increases our sense of control over the world.
- focuses on one-time behavior

Question 6

we are more likely to make a dispositional attribution when:

Answer 6

• The behavior is freely chosen
  o The behavior is exclusive (or non-common)
  o The behavior is high in personalism
  o The behavior is low in social desirability
  o The behavior is hedonically ( important direct consequences for self) relevant

Question 7

Covariation model / Kelley’s attribution theory

Answer 7

People determine the cause of someone’s behavior by focusing on three
types of information:
1 Consistency: Does Harry always smile at the blonde cashier, or only today?
2 Distinctiveness: Does Harry smile at all cashiers, or only at the blonde one?
3 Consensus: Does everyone smile at the blonde cashier, or just Harry?
-> see table p.88/89

Question 8

Fundamental attribution error

Answer 8

o We overestimate the influence of personality variables
o We underestimate the influence of the situation
– Because:
o We see what we want to see: selective perception
o We have wrong expectations
o We operate on automatic pilot

Question 9

Motivated tactician ( correspondence bias )

Answer 9

a model of social cognition that characterizes people as having multiple cognitive strategies available which they choose among on the basis of personal goals, motives and needs

Question 10

actor-observer effect

Answer 10

tenednecy to attribute our own behavior externally and other peoples behavior internally

Question 11

ultimate attribution error

Answer 11

tendency to attribute bad outgroup behavior externally and good in-group behavior internally and vice versa