4.1: Attribution Theory & Person Perception

Person perspective

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

Attribution Theory

The theory of how we explain someone’s behavior

Dispositional attribution

An explanation of behavior that credits the person’s stable, enduring traits

Situational attribution

An explanation of behavior that credits the surrounding situation

Explanatory style

The tendency one takes to explain events and behaviors in either an optimistic or pessimistic light

Fundamental attribution error

The tendency for observers, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of personal disposition

Actor-observer bias

The tendency for those acting in a situation to attribute their behavior to external causes, but for observers to attribute others’ behavior to internal causes

Self-serving bias

A readiness to perceive ourselves favorably

Internal locus of control

The perception that we control our own fate

External locus of control

The perception that outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate

Mere exposure effect

The tendency for repeated exposure to novel stimuli to increase our liking of them

Self-fulfilling prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment

Social comparison

When people determine their own social and personal worth based on how they stack up against others

Relative deprivation

The perception that we are worse off relative to those with whom we compare ourselves