Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

PSYC 241 > Lec 6: attributions > Flashcards

Lec 6: attributions Flashcards

1
Q

what is short term memory

A

the capacity to keep a small amount of information in mind in an active, readily available state for a short period of time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is long term memory

A

information from past experiences that may or may not be active
capacity to keep large amount of info for a long time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is encoding

A

organization of sensory input into appropriate long term or short term memory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is consolidation in reference to memory

A

‘storage’ of memory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is retrieval in reference to memory

A

retrieving memory that is stored

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

explain why and how we have better memory for schema consistent or inconsistent information

A

schema consistent: associations tend to help us better remember something
(recall study where some ones liking for beer may be attributed to them being a waitress, or some ones liking for classical music may be attributed to them being a librarian)

schema inconsistent: information that conflicts pre-existing schema can be memorable because we tend to try and make sense of it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is mood congruent memory

A

we are likely to remember positive information when in a positive mood and vice versa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

how does concept for schema consistency change between individualism and collectivism cultures

A

in individualistic cultures, people appreciate consistency in well defined concepts

in collectivism cultures, individuals have tolerance for inconsistency of concepts over time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what is dialecticism

A

a way of knowledge that accepts and acknowledges inconsistency

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is the misinformation effect

A

process (like priming) in which cues after a given event can plan false memory

example:
watch a video of a car crash
ask one “how fast was the car going when it HIT the other car” the person is likely to recollect the car went moderately fast

ask another “how fast was the car going when it SMASHED the other car”
the person is likely to recollect the car was going very fast.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is the availability heuristic

A

tendency to assume that information that is readily available for consciousness is more frequent or common
- can distort judgements

ie) people are more afraid of planes because its easier to recall tragic plane crashes although car crashes are more frequent (just not as reported)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is ease of retrieval effect

A

process whereby people judge how frequently an event occurs on the basis of how frequently they can retrieve examples of the event

example:
- ask 2 groups of college to students to recall 6 or 12 times they found themselves assertive
- those who recall 6 events felt themselves more assertive than those who recalled 12 events
- that is because the ease of thinking of 6 events makes it appear that you are often an assertive person
- the difficulty of thinking of 12 events makes one think that they are having a hard time thinking because they are not assertive often

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what are causal attributions

A

explanations of an individuals behavior

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what is the locus of causality (internal V external locus)

A

first dimension of causal attribution

internal locus: attribution of behavior to an internal aspect
(i.e. Justin failed physics because he isn’t intelligent)

external locus: attribution of behavior to an external aspect (i.e. Justin failed physics because his professor was a piece of shit)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what is stability in reference to causal attributions (internal vs external attributions and stability)

A

the second dimension to causal attributions
- stable internal attributions: unchangeable (i.e. justin failed test due to lack of ability)

  • unstable external attributions: changeable (i.e. justin failed test due to lack of effort)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what is a causal schema

A

a theory one holds about the likely cause of an event (based on personal or general cultural knowledge)

  • generally relied on when concepts fit out causal schema instead of think rationally about why an event occurs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is correspondent inference

A

a judgment that a person’s attitude, desires, or traits matches or corresponds to his or her behavior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what do correspondent inferences rely on

A
  1. if the individual seems to have a choice in taking an action
  2. a person has a choice between 2 options with one difference between them both
  3. if someone acts inconsistently with a particular role
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what is fundamental attributions error (FAE)

A

tendency to attribute behavior to internal qualities of an individual and underestimate the causal role of situational factors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what is the actor-observer effect

A

we tend to make internal attribution to other individuals but external attributions to ourself.

this is because we are aware of our situation first hand and focus on our surroundings, but we do not know others situations so by nature we assume internal attributions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

we tend to make ___ attributions for our successes, but ____ attributions for our failures.

A

internal; external
to defend our self-worth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

how does FAE differ from a collectivist vs individualist perspective

A

All individuals make FAE, but the causal attribution differs between cultures.

individualists tend to make internal attributions while collectivists tend to make external attributions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what is the stage model of attribution

A
  1. identification of behavior
  2. automatic dispositional inference (internal attributes)
  3. effortful situational correlation (external, requires salience)
24
Q

what is covariation principle

A

the tendency to see a causal relationship between an event and an outcome when the happen at the same time

25
Q

what are 3 factors that lead us to make causal attributions when ACCURACY is important to us

A
  1. consistency of event across time
  2. distinctiveness across situations
  3. consensus across people
26
Q

what is the discounting principle

A

the tendency to reduce the importance of any potential cause of another’s behavior because other possible causes exist

27
Q

what are motivational biases

A

biases that adjust our attributions to support our preferred beliefs

28
Q

what is the upward counterfactual

A

an imagine alternative in which the outcome (imagined) is better than what actually happened
- generally make us feel worse
- i.e.) “if only I told her I loved her” (she found a new man)

29
Q

what is fusiform face area

A

region in temporal lobe that deals with recognizing faces

29
Q

what are downward counterfactuals

A

an imagined alternative in which the outcome is worse than what actually happened
- generally makes us feel better
- i.e.) “You were lucky you didn’t tell her you loved her, she’s literally a serial killer” (she killed said ‘new man’)

30
Q

what is prosopagnosia

A

damage to fusiform face area which leads one to have ease in recognizing familiar objects but not faces

31
Q

why has the fusiform face area evolved

A

allows us to make impressions on individuals whether they are friend, foe, potential mates, or relatives

32
Q

what is bottom up version of building an impression

A

gather observations to make general impression, as we further observe we make inferences/ attributions

33
Q

what is a negativity bias

A

tendency to weigh instances of negative behavior more than instances of positive behavior

  • occurs because we tend to keep a lookout for bad behavior (survival)
  • bad behavior is more salient because it violates norms
34
Q

what is theory of mind

A

the ability to understand and take into account another individual’s mental state or of “mind-reading”
- helps us predict ones intentions and behaviors

35
Q

what part of the brain is responsible for theory of mind

A

medial prefrontal cortex (mirror neurons)

36
Q

what are mirror neurons

A

neurons activated both when one performs an action themselves or when observing another person perform that action

  • helps one understand the others emotions better
37
Q

what is Freuds ‘transference’

A

used in top down version of building an impression

  • Transference in therapy is the act of the client unknowingly transferring feelings about someone from their past onto the therapist.
38
Q

what is false consensus

A

tendency to assume others share our own attitudes, opinions, and preferences

39
Q

what are predominant reasons for committing false consensus

A
  1. our own opinions are salient to us and therefore cognitively accessible
  2. it validates our worldviews when we meet someone similar to us
  3. we tend to like and associate with people similar to us
40
Q

what are implicit personality theories

A

theories that we have about which traits go together and why they do.
- Can one assume, for example, that a person with a sense of humor is also intelligent?

41
Q

what is the halo effect

A

the tendency of our assessments of an individual on a given trait to be biased or a more general impression of the person

  • attractive people: successful, happier, competent
42
Q

what is stereotyping

A

a heuristic (mental shortcut) to assume an idea on what a person may be like

43
Q

what is the representative heuristic

A

the tendency to overestimate the likelihood that a person is part of a category if the person has features that seem to represent that category

44
Q

what is the primacy effect

A

the idea that what we learn early on influences how we judge subsequent information

(first impressions are generally a basis for how we interpret subsequent actions of a person)

45
Q

where is short term memory stored

A

prefrontal cortex (PFC)

46
Q

where is long term memory stored

A

hippocampus

47
Q

what is internal attribution

A

persons behavior caused by something internal like attitudes or personality or character

48
Q

what is external attribution

A

a persons behavior is caused by something external like a situation with which most people would behave similarly in

49
Q

what are observer attributions

A

attribute other peoples behavior due to internal reasons and assume behavior is caused by internal disposition

50
Q

what are actor attributions

A

perception of ones own behavior generally relies on external reasons, situational

51
Q

explain impression formation from bottom up

A

gathering individual observations of a person to form an overall impression

52
Q

what is physiognomy

A

when ones body/face reflects personal characteristics

53
Q

explain impression formation from top down

A

using preconceived ideas and schemas as part of basis for impression information

54
Q

what is mind in the eyes theory

A

theory that eyes provide critical information about others such as their intentions, emotions, and identities

PSYC 241 (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions