Attribution Theory

What are causal attributions?

Explanations we generate to understand the causes of behaviours, events, and experiences.

Why does attribution matter?

It reduces uncertainty by locating causes and making the world feel more predictable.

Internal vs external attributions

Internal = cause within the person; External = cause within the situation.

Heider’s view of people as “naive psychologists”

People naturally search for causes behind behaviour, acting like intuitive scientists.

Kelley’s Covariation Model

We use consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency information to infer causes of behaviour.

Consensus information

Whether other people behave the same way as the actor.

Distinctiveness information

Whether the actor behaves this way across different contexts or only in this situation.

Consistency information

Whether the actor repeatedly behaves this way over time in similar situations.

Evidence supporting Kelley’s model

McArthur (1972) found people made internal/external attributions based on covariation patterns.

Criticism of Kelley’s model

People rarely have or spontaneously use complete covariation information in real life.

Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

Tendency to over-attribute others’ behaviour to internal causes rather than situational factors.

Evidence for the FAE

Jones & Harris (1967) showed people assumed essay writers believed viewpoints assigned to them.

Cultural differences in attribution

Western cultures learn dispositional attributions; Hindu children increasingly emphasise situational causes.

Actor–Observer Effect

We attribute our own actions to situations but others’ actions to dispositions.

Two causes of the actor–observer effect

Information differences (actors know their own context) and perceptual focus (observers focus on actors).

Storms (1972) camera manipulation findings

Observers made more dispositional attributions when the actor was strongly illuminated.

False Consensus Effect

People view their own beliefs/behaviours as more typical than they really are.

Self-Serving Bias

Successes attributed internally; failures attributed externally (e.g., politicians blaming situational factors).

Cognitive miser vs motivated tactician models

Cognitive miser = shortcuts; Motivated tactician = choosing strategies based on goals/motives.

Discursive psychology’s critique of attribution theory

Attributions are constructed in talk to achieve social actions (e.g., deny responsibility, manage blame).