In Class Notes (3/26 and 3/31) Flashcards
A given behavior is more likely to have been caused by the situation if that behavior changes across situations:
Covariation Principle
The situation is the cause if the situation always produces the behavior:
Consistency Information
The situation is the cause if the behavior occurs only when the situation is present:
Distinctiveness Information
The situation is the cause if it produces the same behavior in most people:
Consensus Information
The tendency to overemphasize personal attributions while underestimating situational influences when explaining others’ behavior:
Fundamental Attribution Error
The tendency to make situational attributions for our own behavior and personal attributions for others’ behavior:
Actor-Observer Difference
Nisbett et al. (1973):
A study where participants described themselves as “depends on the situation” but described others using specific traits
The tendency for prior experiences to shape current perceptions of others:
Perceiver Characteristics
The tendency for a single rater to perceive different people similarly, rather than aligning their ratings with how others see the same person:
Cognitive Accessibility
People who believe traits are stable and unchanging, leading them to make more personal attributions.:
Entity Theorists
People who believe personal characteristics can change, leading them to make more situational attributions:
Incremental Theorists
Blackwell et al. (2007)
A study that examined how different attributional tendencies (entity vs. incremental) affected math performance
Hong et al. (2000):
A study that used cultural priming (American vs. Chinese) to influence whether people made personal or situational attributions about a child’s eating behavior
Lepper et al. (1973):
A study where children who liked playing with markers were split into three groups based on reward type (expected, surprise, none), and time spent with markers was measured.
The discomfort that occurs when our thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are inconsistent with our self-perception:
Cognitive Dissonance
Festinger & Carlsmith (1959):
A study where participants were paid either $1 or $20 to lie about enjoying a boring task; those paid $1 rated the task as more enjoyable than those paid $20.
Ways to reduce cognitive dissonance (3):
-changing behavior
-altering attitudes to make them seem less bad
-increasing attitudes that align with the behavior
The process of learning about other people, which happens naturally as we interact with them:
Person Perception
Ambady & Rosenthal:
A study comparing student ratings of instructors from 30 seconds of exposure to an entire semester, finding strong correlations in some traits (e.g., active, competent, enthusiastic) but weaker ones in others
Negative information has a stronger physiological and psychological impact than positive information, influencing decision-making more heavily:
Negative Information Effect
Rule et al. (2008) - “Gaydar” Study:
A study suggesting that people can identify sexual orientation based on photos, but follow-up research indicated hair and other cues were involved
The tendency to remember and be influenced by the first and last pieces of information we encounter:
Primacy & Recency Effects
The process of trying to determine the causes behind people’s behaviors:
Causal Attributions
Attributing someone’s behavior to their personality or internal characteristics:
Personal Attribution
Attributing someone’s behavior to the external situation or environment:
Situational Attribution
