Perception

Question 1

What are attributions?

Answer 1

Attributions are explanations we use to understand each other’s behaviour.

Question 2

What are internal attributions?

Answer 2

Behaviour is caused by the person

Question 3

What are external attributions?

Answer 3

Behaviour is caused by something else

Question 4

How would someone explain good behaviour for a partner bringing a box of chocolates?

Answer 4

INTERNAL = He always knows just what to get me – he’s so thoughtful.

EXTERNAL = He got them from someone at work today + re-gifting them to me.

Question 5

ow would someone explain good behaviour for snapping at you for being 5 mins late?

Answer 5

INTERNAL = He’s such an impatient + irritable person.

EXTERNAL = He must’ve had a really hard day at work.

Question 6

How does satisfaction influence attribution of partner’s bhvr?

Answer 6

Weiss (1980); Walsh & Neff (2020) = satisfaction influences attribution of partners’ behaviour

Satisfied people = internal attributions for partner’s good bhvr + external for partner’s bad bhvr

Unsatisfied people = external attributions for partner’s good bhvr + internal for partner’s bad bhvr

Question 7

How does attribution affect satisfaction?

Answer 7

Bradbury & Fincham (1990); Osterhout et al. (2011) = the attributions we make to explain partner’s bhvr affect satisfaction

Satisfied people = become happier bc relationship enhancing

Unsatisfied people = ↑ unhappy bc relationship is distress maintaining (maintaining the dissatisfaction of the relationship)

Question 8

What are positive illusions?

Answer 8

Murray & Holmes (1999) = when we emphasise a partner’s pos. qualities + minimise faults

Question 9

Because of pos. illusions, how do people judge themselves compared to their partners?

Answer 9

Gignac & Zajenkowski (2019) = judge partners pos. than they judge themselves

Question 10

What does Murray et al. (1999) describe as benefits of pos. illusions?

Answer 10

It is related to ↑ relationship satis. + stability

Give the benefit of the doubt minimises conflict.

Partner = feel good + ↑ secure

Question 11

What does Murray & Holmes (1999) describe as benefits of pos. illusions?

Answer 11

Partner-fulfilling prophecy = could be ‘lived up’ to their idealised image of them

Question 12

How are pos. illusions limited in their usefulness?

Answer 12

Neff & Karney (2005) = the extent to which pos. illusions are beneficial
 Depends on how unrealistic illusions are.
 Minor illusions = smooth social interactions
 Major illusions minimise problems.
 Partner’s = pressure to ‘live up to ideals’

Question 13

What is self-verification?

Answer 13

This is when a person wants other people to see them as how they think of themselves

Question 14

When are positive illusions better than self-verifications?

Answer 14

Fletcher (2015) = when the relationship is new, dating/ newlyweds

Question 15

When are pos. illusions worse than self-verifications?

Answer 15

Swann et al. (1992) = LTR bc they feel understood/ validated

When related to aspects of self-concept that is very important

Question 16

What are beliefs?

Answer 16

Ideas/ theories about what the world is like

Question 17

What are beliefs?

Answer 17

Ideas/ theories about what the world is like. This is an individual difference in how they see others.

Question 18

What are the two beliefs linked to relationships?

Answer 18

Knee & Petty (2013): Types of relationships beliefs
o Destiny beliefs
o Growth beliefs

Question 19

What are destiny beliefs?

Answer 19

People are compatible or not

Question 20

What are growth beliefs?

Answer 20

Relationship challenges can be overcome

Question 21

What are the relationship outcomes of destiny beliefs?

Answer 21

Initially happier w/ their relationships BUT when faced w/ conflict = satis. ↓

Especially sensitive to signs relationships ≠ meant to be

Disengages from relationship when there’s a problem.

Question 22

What are the relationship outcomes of growth beliefs?

Answer 22

People = constructive, optimistic + committed when facing conflicts

Fewer one-night stands, dating a partner for a longer period of time.

Tries to maintain the relationship when there’s a problem = ↑ satisfaction overall bc they help couples work through challenges

Question 23

How does self-disclosure and perception work together?

Answer 23

self-disclosure = generates closeness
perceptions, attributions, beliefs = shape interactions + relationships

Question 24

How does evidence show that we can’t narrow interpersonal gaps in communication?

Answer 24

Wright & Roloff (2015) = we expect people to read our minds

We don’t realise how bad at reading other people’s minds = Swann & Gil (1997) found studies on romantic partners + college showed as relationships developed, the accuracy in reading each other didn’t increase, but they got more (over)confident. THEY THINK THEY KNOW THEM BETTER.

More communication is needed.

Question 25

What factors did Epley (2008) identify hindering interpersonal gaps being narrowed?

Answer 25

Identified several challenges that limited our ability to perceive accurately.

A tool people use + useful, but may cause inaccuracies = egocentric simulations (not all people are us)

Question 26

What are egocentric simulations?

Answer 26

How we interpret others = how we would feel, think, behave, motivate, react if we were in certain situations.

Question 27

What did Epley (2008) propose to stop the factors hindering interpersonal gaps being narrowed?

Answer 27

Time, effort + perspective taking = putting ourselves in their shows (but top-down biases may still influence perceptions e.g stereotypes)

Actively encode info = trying to gather more info before jumping to conclusions

Need to see oneself at ↑ level of abstraction = see ourselves as we see others