Attribution Theory: Classical Approaches Flashcards
Heider’s Naive Psychology
People are driven to determine the causes of other’s behaviour in an effort to predict and control their environment.
What are stable properties?
Personality traits and enduring properties in people the cause their behaviour. we use them to build our theories (according to naive psychology)
B. Jones and Davis’ Correspondent Inference Theory
The challenge of attribution is to determine whether a person’s behaviour corresponds to stable underlying personality traits.
When is behaviour more informative about internal causes? (Correspondent Inference Theory)
- When is has fewer unique consequences
- has fewer alternative causes
- violates social norms
- is unexpected
- is negative
- has an impact on the perceiver
- is intentional and freely chosen
C. Kelley’s Covariation Model
Attributions depend on the assessment of three sources of information:
1. Consistency
2. Distinctiveness
3. Consensus
The combination of different sources of information over time allows us to draw an inference
If consistency, distinctiveness and consensus are high, then the attribution is….
External
Weiner’s Attributional Taxonomy
Attributions will be drawn when the cause is stable and controllable. Additionally, different attributions will have different emotional consequences. stable and emotional causes produce stronger emotions, and more serious behavioural consequences.
Self-handicapping
claiming or participants in behaviour which can explain a negative outcome as a self-protection mehcanism
Normative models
People act in a. scientific way to explain the world around them, as naive psychologists.
discounting principle
any one factor is discounted as a function of
presence of other potential causes.
augmenting principle
the role of a potential cause is enhanced in the presence of other inhibiting factors
