Attribution Theory & Person Perception Flashcards
Attribution
Why things happen or why people behave a certain way
Dispositional Attribution
Saying someone did something because of who they are as a person (long-lasting traits)
Situational Attribution
Defining someone’s behavior based on the situation they’re in, rather than their personality
Fundamental Attribution Error
Overemphasize personality traits and underestimate situational factors when explaining someone else’s behavior
Actor Observational Bias
People attribute their own actions to situational factors but other people’s actions to their personality
Self-Serving Bias
People attribute their successes to their internal factors and failures on their external factors
Optimism
Looking for the best in everything; glass half-full
Pessimism
Looking for the worst in everything; glass half empty
Internal Locus of Control
People believe they have control over the outcomes of their own actions and that their own efforts determine their future
External Locus of Control
People believe that external factors such as luck, fate, other people, determine the outcomes of their life
Mere Exposure Effect
When people are repeatedly exposed to something overtime, therefore they start to like it more
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
A person’s expectations or beliefs about a situation cause them to act in ways that make those expectations come true
Social Comparison
Comparing yourself to people who are more fortunate or less fortunate than you
Upward Social Comparison
Comparing oneself with someone who seems to be better off than you
Downward Social Comparison
Comparing oneself with someone who seems to be worse off than you
