4.1-4.3 AP PYSC

Person perception

How we form impressions of ourselves and others, including attributions of behavior.

Attribution theory

We explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation (situational attribution) or the person’s stable traits (dispositional attribution). Example: Jack eats cake because he hasn’t eaten in days (situational) vs. Jack is greedy (dispositional).

Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

Tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of personal disposition when analyzing others’ behavior.

Actor-observer bias

Actors attribute their own behavior to external causes, while observers attribute others’ behavior to internal causes. Contributes to FAE.

Self-serving bias

Tendency to perceive oneself favorably (success = personal traits, failure = external factors).

Attributions & social views

Whether we attribute poverty/homelessness to social circumstances (unemployment) or personal dispositions (lazy) reflects our personal beliefs.

Social Comparison

Judging ourselves by comparing to others to determine whether we are succeeding or failing.

Prejudice

An unjustifiable, usually negative attitude toward a group and its members involving negative emotions, stereotyped beliefs, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.

3-part mixture of prejudice

a. Negative emotions – hostility or fear b. Stereotype – generalized belief about a group (can reduce cognitive load) c. Discrimination – unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members.

Explicit prejudice

Prejudice that we are consciously aware of.

Implicit prejudice

Automatic, unthinking prejudice (e.g., measured by the Harvard Implicit Test).