4.1 & 4.2 Attribution Theory + Attitude Formation and Change

Attribution

Explanations for behavior and mental proccesses

Dispositional Attribution

Explaining behavior based on internal traits, personality, or one’s abilities

Situational Attribution

Explaining behavior based on external factors

Explanatory Style

How people explain the cause of positive and negative events in their lives and others

Optimistic Explanatory Style

Attributing positive events to internal factors and negative events to external factors

Pessimistic Explanatory Style

Attributing negative events to internal factors and positive events to external factors

Actor Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute our own behavior to situational factors, but others’ to dispositional factors

Fundamental Attribution Error

Overestimating dispositional factors and underestimating situational factors when judging others

Self Serving Bias

Attributing successes to internal factors and failures to external factors

Mere Exposure Effect

The tendency to like stimuli more after repeated exposure

Advertising

Repeated exposure to ads increasing preference for products

Social Interactions

Increased exposure to individuals increases liking and reduces prejudice

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that leads to behaviors that cause the belief to come true

Social Comparison

Evaluating oneself based on comparison with others

Upward Social Comparison

Comparing oneself to people who are more successful

Downward Social Comparison

Comparing oneself to people who are less successful

Relative Deprivation

Feeling deprived based on comparisons with others rather than objective standards

Locus Of Control

The degree to which people believe they control the cause of their outcomes

External Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes result from external factors (ex: luck, other people,…)

Internal Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes result from internal factors (ex: own effort, personality, capabilities,…)

Attitude

A learned tendency to think, feel, and act in certain ways toward people or objects

Stereotype

A generalized belief about a group of people

Cause and Result of Bias

Stereotypes can both stem from and reinforce biased perceptions and experiences

Prejudice Attitudes

Forming unjustified, negative attitudes toward a group and it’s members

Discriminatory Behaviors

Unjustified, negative behavior toward a group and it’s members

Implicit Attitudes

Automatic, unconscious attitudes and behaviors

Just World Phenomenon

Belief that people receive what they deserve (ex: good people deserve good, bad people deserve bad…)

Out-Group Homogeneity Bias

Perceiving members of an out-group as more similar to each other than in-group members

In-Group Bias

Favoring members of one’s own group over others

Ethnocentrism

Believing one’s own culture/group is superior to others

Belief Perseverance

Holding onto beliefs even after the evidence supporting them is discredited

Confirmation Bias

Seeking evidence in ways that confirm one’s existing beliefs

Cognitive Dissonance

Mental discomfort caused by holding conflicting attitudes or behaving inconsistently with beliefs

Changing Attitudes

Adjusting one’s beliefs to align with their actions

Changing Actions

Adjusting one’s actions to align with their beliefs