T3: Lecture 4

Question 1

What is the central proposition about Attributions?

Answer 1

That peoples’ perception of the causes of an event affects what they do and how they feel

Question 2

How do pessimists attribute negative experiences?

Answer 2

To internal factors (self blame)

Question 3

How do optimists attribute negative experiences?

Answer 3

To external factors (blame circumstances)

Question 4

Pessimists in relation to health

Answer 4

Have poorer health, shows how we interpret events in early adult life can affect us later

Question 5

Motivational Basis of Attribution-Self Esteem

Answer 5

• Linked to Attribution in 2 ways:
  1. When behaving positively/successfully and then attribute this to INTERNAL qualities we can ACHIEVE and MAINTAIN SE
  2. When behaving negatively/fail then attribute this to same INTERNAL qualities then we DECREASE SE

Question 6

Motivational Basis of Attribution-Control

Answer 6

• Attributions can enhance control
• If we attribute success to internal characteristics we may believe we are in control
• Control function can be negative (VICTIM BLAME)

Question 7

What are the four levels of analysis?

Answer 7

1. Intra-personal
2. Interpersonal
3. Intergroup
4. Societal

Question 8

What does intra-personal level contain?

Answer 8

• Is the criteria by which individuals analyse info and come to make an attribution
• These attributions are seen as rational

Question 9

What are the two theories in intra-personal level?

Answer 9

1. Correspondence Interference

2. Covariation and Configuration

Question 10

What did Kelly’s 1967 study look at

Answer 10

When making attribution claims that information can be derived from sources indicating:

• > If Mr B is always hostile to you (CONSISTENCY)
• > If others are normally hostile to you (CONSENSUS)
• > If Mr B tends to be hostile to others (DISTINCTIVENESS)

Question 11

What does the Inter-personal level deal with?

Answer 11

• Deal with face to face attributions

- These attributions are no longer seen as rational

Question 12

What are the major types of effect in the Inter-personal level?

Answer 12

• Actor-Observer effect

- Self serving bias

Question 13

What is the Actor-Observer effect?

Answer 13

• People tend to attribute cause of their own actions to external factors
• People tend to attribute cause of others actions to internal causes

Question 14

What is the Self-Serving Bias?

Answer 14

-People tend to take credit for their success but not for failures

Question 15

What does the Inter-group level examine?

Answer 15

-Examines way members of different groups explain behaviour

Question 16

What did Hunter, et al study look at? + findings

Answer 16

Catholics vs Protestants explaining instances of C and P behaviour

• In-group violence was attributed to external attributes
• Out-group violence was attributed to internal attributed

Question 17

What does the Societal level look at?

Answer 17

Looks at how people from different cultures make attributions

Question 18

What did the Miller (1984) study look at? + findings

Answer 18

Had people from West/East cultures explain behaviour:

• Western culture made internal attributions for behaviour
• Eastern culture made external attributions for behaviour