AP Psychology 4.1 Attribution Theory and Person Perception

Dispositional Attribution

assuming that another's behavior is due to personality factors, not situational ones (internal)

Situation Attribution

the assumption that another person is doing something because of factors in the environment or the situation they are in (external)

ex- lost job, disabled veteran

Fundamental Attribution Error

the tendency, when analyzing others' behavior, to overestimate the influence of personal traits and underestimate the effects of the situation (only focused on behavior of others)

just-world phenomenon

-people want to see the world as fair

-believe that people mostly get what they deserve

-blame the victim

Saliency Bias

situations are less salient (noticeable) than internal traits

Self serving bias

-a readiness to perceive oneself favorably

-take credit for success but blame failure on external factor

ex- good vs. bad SAT scores

Actor-observer Bias

a tendency to blame personal shortcomings on external factors and the shortcomings of others on internal qualities

ex- tripping on the sidewalk, good or bad score on tests

Cultural Bias (individualistic)

emphasize independence and personal responsibility

-places like US, Canada

-more likely to commit FAE and self serving bias

Cultural Bias (collectivist)

emphasize independence and collective responsibility

-places like Japan, China

-more likely to be aware of how situational factors influence behavior

Hindsight Bias

the tendency for people to perceive events as having been more predictable than they actually were

-"I knew it all along"

ex- Battle of Gettysburg

False Consensus Effect

a tendency to see our own attitudes and behaviors as being typical

-a desire to view ones own thoughts as appropriate, normal and correct

ex- environmental issues, terrible movie

Confirmation bias

favors information that confirms you existing belief

ex-choosing college, poltical views

Halo Effect

a type of bias where the overall impression of a person influences the way we feel about their character, also called "physical attractiveness stereotype"

ex- jury convictions, educators