Attribution Theory in AP Psychology

This set of flashcards covers key concepts from Attribution Theory as discussed in AP Psychology, focusing on various types of attributions, biases, and their implications in behavior and mental processes.

Attribution Theory

A concept that explains how individuals interpret behaviors and mental processes by examining internal and external attributions.

Dispositional Attribution

An explanation for behavior that relates to internal qualities, such as personality traits.

Situational Attribution

An explanation for behavior that relates to external circumstances, such as environmental factors.

Explanatory Style

The pattern by which people explain events, either positively or negatively, affecting their coping strategies.

Optimistic Explanatory Style

Attributing positive events to internal factors and negative events to external factors.

Pessimistic Explanatory Style

Attributing negative events to internal factors and positive events to external factors.

Actor/Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute our own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to dispositional factors.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overestimate the role of dispositional factors in others' behaviors.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors.

Mere Exposure Effect

A psychological phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus increases an individual's liking for it.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A situation where a belief or expectation leads to behaviors that cause the belief to come true.

Social Comparison

The process of evaluating oneself based on comparisons to others, affecting self-perception and motivation.

Upward Comparison

Comparing oneself to those who are better off, often leading to feelings of inadequacy.

Downward Comparison

Comparing oneself to those who are worse off, often resulting in enhanced self-esteem.

Relative Deprivation

The feeling of deprivation that arises when one assesses their situation against that of others.