Lecture 2- Attribution

Question 1

What is social Psychology?

Answer 1

How people view, react and influence other individuals

Question 2

What is social thinking?

Answer 2

How we think about our social world

Question 3

What is social influence?

Answer 3

How other people influence our behaviour and visa versa.

Question 4

What is causal attribution?

Answer 4

The process of assigning a cause to an event or behaviour.

Question 5

How did Heider define attribution?

Answer 5

Individuals have a basic need to attribute causality.

Question 6

What was Heider’s experiment called?

Answer 6

Geometrical shape experiment.

Question 7

What is attribution?

Answer 7

Judgements about the causes of our own and other people’s behaviour and outcomes.

Question 8

What are the 2 types of attribution called?

Answer 8

Personal

Situational

Question 9

What is personal attribution?

Answer 9

Behaviour is caused by individuals characteristics

Question 10

What is situational attribution?

Answer 10

Behaviour is caused by a situation

Question 11

What are the 2 ways in which we can make an attribution?

Answer 11

Correspondent inference model

Covariation model

Question 12

What is the correspondent inference model?

Answer 12

An individuals behaviour is caused by/attributed to their own personal disposition.

Question 13

What 3 conditions make the correspondent inference model most likely?

Answer 13

The behaviour is freely chosen
When it is socially deviant
When it serves the interest of the person

Question 14

What 3 things does the covariation model consist of?

Answer 14

Consistency-does the individual always behave the same?
Distinctiveness-Is this just a one off? Does the individual behave differently in this event than others.
Consensus- Do all people behave the same?

Question 15

If someone experiences a personal attribution, what are the 3 ratios in the covariation model they have?

Answer 15

High consistency
Low distinctiveness
Low consensus

Question 16

If someone experiences a situational attribution, what are the 3 ratios in the covariation model they have?

Answer 16

High consistency
High distinctiveness
High consensus

Question 17

What are the 3 biases that can get in the way when individuals make attributions?

Answer 17

Fundamental attribution error
Actor/observer difference
Self-serving bias

Question 18

What is fundamental attribution error?

Answer 18

We underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the tole of personal factors when explaining other’s behaviour.

Question 19

What is the study supporting the fundamental attribution error?

Answer 19

Jones and Harris- Writing an essay either supporting or arguing against Castro. Beforehand judging students were told if thee opinions stressed were free or primed too. Those that were told the students had written freely were believed to be more pro-Castro. Even when told students were primed to write positive or negative accounts, they still attributed positive or negative beliefs.

Question 20

What is actor/observer difference?

Answer 20

We are more likely to make a situational attribution about our own behaviour and a personal attribution about another person’s behaviour.

Question 21

What is self-serving bias?

Answer 21

Attributes causes to behaviour in a way that protects and enhances our self-esteem.

Question 22

Fundamental attribution error cultural differences- where does this mainly apply?

Answer 22

Individualistic cultures. Here people are more likely to make personal attributions whereas in collectivist cultures, dependency is high and so conformity is high and so attributions are more likely to be made to situations rather than personal.

Question 23

Self serving bias cultural differences- who are more likely to show self serving bias?

Answer 23

Individualistic cultures. Collectivist take more responsibility and so are less likely to show self serving bias.

Question 24

Why do we make the fundamental attribution error?

Answer 24

when explaining other peoples behaviour we ignore situational determinants and focus on personal attributions.

Question 25

Why do we make the actor-observer difference?

Answer 25

When we act, the environment demands our attention whereas when we watch another person, the person occupies our attention.

Question 26

Why do we use self serving bias?

Answer 26

To make attributions to enhance our own image in light of themselves and others.