Attribution Theory�How do we explain the causes of behavior?
We form implicit theories
Attribution – the process of explaining the causes of one’s behavior (including our own)
Internal (personal/dispositional) Attribution
External (situational) Attribution
Ex. – classmate fails to return borrowed notes on time
Explanatory Style – predictable patterns of how people explain good/bad events
Optimistic vs. Pessimistic
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Biases in Attribution
Fundamental Attribution Error
Tendency to attribute behavior of others to internal factors (i.e. personality traits)
Actor-Observer Bias
Tendency to attribute others’ behavior to internal causes while attributing our own behavior (esp. errors & failures) to external causes
Self-Serving Bias
Tendency to take personal credit for positive outcomes, but blame external causes for failures
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Locus of Control
“Internals”
expect events to be controlled by own efforts
“Externals”
expect events to be determined by external forces outside of their control
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Person Perception
mental processes we use to form impressions of other people, including how we categorize them, interpret their behavior, and make judgments about their personality traits based on limited information
“Mere Exposure Effect”
All else being equal, attitudes toward object/person become more positive the more frequently exposed to it
“Self-Fulfilling Prophecy”
Behaving in ways that elicit behaviors from others that confirms their beliefs/perceptions about themself or others
Social Comparison
evaluating oneself based on comparison to other members of society or social circles (upward or downward)