Attribution Theory Flashcards
Attribution Theory
by understanding our past behavior, we can protect ourselves and predict future behavior
Attributions
causes we assign to our own and others’ behaviors
Dispositional vs. Situational Attribution
1) dispositional - interprets behavior as reflecting a person’s stable, internal characteristics (who they truly are)
2) situational - interprets behavior as reflecting external forces acting on the person (not a true representation of the person)
Correspondent Inference Theory
focused on which type of dispositional attribution to make
- people make dispositional attribution when:
a) actions have unique effects (fewer reasons to choose that action)
b) actions are low in assumed desirability (not normative)
Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)
a bias towards making dispositional rather than situational attributions towards others’ behaviors
Why might we think about ourselves differently?
- different information about self and others
- different motivations about self and others
Actor-Observer Effect (AOE)
biased towards situational attributions when explaining our own behavior
Motivation about Ourselves
- self-enhancement: the desire to view oneself positively
- consistency: the desire to avoid contradiction between attitudes, behavior, and beliefs (Cognitive Dissonance Theory)
Self-Serving Bias
the tendency to make dispositional attributions about one’s own successes, and situational attributions about one’s own failures
Egocentric Bias
the tendency to rely too heavily on one’s own perspective and/or have a higher opinion of oneself than reality
Better-than-Average Effect
tendency for people to perceive their abilities, attributes, and personality traits as superior compared with their average peer
False Consensus Bias
tendency to see our own attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors as being typical
False Uniqueness Effect
tendency to underestimate the proportion of peers who share desirable attributes and behaviors
