Unit 4.1 Attribution Theory and Person Perception

Attributions

The process by which individuals explain the causes of behavior and events, attributing them to internal characteristics or external situational factors.

Dispositional

Factors that relate to personal characteristics, such as personality traits and beliefs, influencing behavior.

Internal Qualities

That influence an individual's behavior and actions, often linked to personality traits.

Situational

Factors that relate to the external environment or context, impacting behavior and events.

External Circumstances

Factors that influence behavior based on the environment or context, rather than personal traits.

Explanatory Styles

The ways in which individuals interpret events, affecting their perceptions of control and outcomes in their lives.

Optimistic

Explanatory style that focuses on positive outcomes and emphasizes the belief that good things will happen, often leading to better mental health and resilience.

Pessimistic

A tendency to expect negative outcomes and perceive situations in a negative light.

Actor Bias

A cognitive bias that occurs when observers attribute actors' behavior to their personality or character rather than situational factors. It often leads to misunderstanding the reasons behind actions.

Observer Bias

A cognitive bias where observers overemphasize situational factors in their understanding of others' behaviors while underestimating their character influences.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overestimate the impact of personal characteristics and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behaviors.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute positive outcomes to one's own character while blaming negative outcomes on external situational factors, often to maintain self-esteem.

Internal Locus of Control

The belief that one has control over their own life outcomes through their own actions and decisions, as opposed to external forces.

External Locus of Control

The belief that outcomes are largely influenced by external factors or chance rather than one's own actions or decisions.

Person Perception

The process of forming impressions and judgments about others based on observed behaviors, appearance, and other cues.

Mere Exposure Effect

A psychological phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus increases an individual's preference for it. This effect suggests that familiarity can enhance liking.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A prediction that causes itself to become true due to the belief in its occurrence. This often influences individual behavior and attitudes, leading to outcomes that align with the initial expectation.

Social Comparison

The process of evaluating oneself in relation to others, often to gain insights into personal abilities, opinions, and social status.

Upward Social Comparision

The process of comparing oneself to people who are perceived to be better or more successful in some way, often leading to feelings of inadequacy or motivation to improve.

Downward Social Comparison

The process of comparing oneself to others who are worse off, often to boost self-esteem or self-perception.

Relative Deprivation

The perception that one is worse off compared to others in one's reference group.

Self-Handicapping

A cognitive strategy where individuals create obstacles or excuses to justify potential failure, often to protect self-esteem.

Illusion of Control

The belief that one can influence events that are actually beyond their control, leading to a cognitive distortion in one's perception of their level of control over outcomes.