Lesson 1: Attribution Theory

prejudice

preconceived judgement about an individual or group that is based on stereotypes without sufficient knowledge, thought, or reason

actor-observer bias

cognitive bias in which people tend to attribute their own behavior to external, situational factors while attributing others’ behavior to internal, dispositional factors

just-world phenomenon

cognitive bias or belief that the world is fundamentally fair and that people get what they deserve

fundamental attribution error

cognitive bias in which people tend to overemphasize internal, dispositional factors when explaining other people’s behavior while underestimating external, situational factors

stereotype

widely held, oversimplified, and generalized assumption about a group of people

social psychology

branch of psychology that studies how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts

attribution theory

psychological framework that explores how individuals explain the causes of their own and others’ behavior

discrimination

unfair or unjust treatment of individuals or groups based on personal attributes

person perception

process by which individuals form impressions and make judgements about other people

scapegoat theory

social psychological concept in which people often blame individuals or groups for negative outcomes as a way of deflecting attention from the real causes or their own shortcomings

other-race effect

cognitive phenomenon in which individuals have difficulty recognizing and distinguishing faces of people from races other than their own

prejudice is composed of…

negative emotions, stereotypes, and a predisposition to discriminate

ingroup

people with whom we share a common identity

outgroup

those perceived as different or apart from the ingroup

ingroup bias

tendency to favor our own group