4.1 - Attribution Theory & Person Perception

Attribution

the reason/ explanation for a behavior (IE.- attribution theory: inferences that people draw about the causes of events, others’ behavior, and their own behavior)

Dispositional Attribution

the reason for a behavior is seen to be based on the characteristics/traits of the person (ie.- they failed because they did not work hard)

Situational Attribution

the reason for a behavior is seen to be based on the situation. (ie.- we failed because the test was not fair, the teacher did not teach us this.)

Explanatory Style

the way a person creates a narrative about a specific event in their life. The explanation can either be categorized as positive (optimistic), or, negative (pessimistic).

Actor/Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute others' behavior to internal causes while attributing our own behavior to external or situational causes (this is more a thinking pattern)

Fundamental Attribution Error

a person's tendency to attribute another's actions to their character or personality or internal circumstances rather than external factors such as the environment while attributing their own behavior to external factors. (this is a person succumbing to the actor/observer bias; the tendency to judge other’s behaviors based on a dispositional attribution and ourselves on a situational attribution).

Self-Serving Bias

the tendency we have to hold ourselves responsible for good outcomes, such as mounting a glorious statue, and blame the circumstances for negative ones, such as employing slaves to do it.

Internal Locus of Control

the perception that we control our own fate, are responsible for our own destiny

External Locus of Control

the perception that our fate is controlled by forces outside of our control

Mere Exposure Effect

the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increased the liking of them

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

the idea that our thoughts can lead to the very outcome that we were thinking about; the notion that our beliefs influence the fulfillment of the outcome. Eg.- a person thinks that they will fail a test, and then they do; “I told you so” type outcome.

Social Comparison

the idea that individuals determine their own social and personal worth based on how they compare to others.