Psychology: Exam #4: Chapter 9 Part 2

What is attribution theory?

the theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition

Why is attribution theory so important in understanding social behavior?

how people interpret the causes of their own and others' actions, which in turn shapes their emotions, expectations, and reactions

What is Situational attributions?

About the situation, context, environment, external to the person

What is Dispositional attributions?

About the person, their personality, internal to the person, traits

What is the Fundamental attribution error?

the other's behavior is about his/her traits (personality), not the situation they are in

How might the fundamental attribution error influence our interpretation of others' behaviors?

causes people to overemphasize a person's internal, or dispositional, traits while underestimating external, or situational, factors when interpreting their behavior

What is self-serving bias?

the tendency for individuals to attribute their own successes to internal factors and put the blame for failures on external factors

What is the just-world hypothesis?

good things happen to good people, bad things happen to bad people

What is victim-blaming?

When people blame the attack on the victim

How might the just-world hypothesis contribute to victim-blaming?

People might think that that bad outcomes are more the result of the victims negative characteristics or misbehavior than is actually the case.

What is prejudice?

A strong, unreasonable dislkie or hatred of a group based on a negative stereotype

What are stereotypes?

Standardized mental picture that one person or group of people holds in common about another person or group of people.

How does prejudice differ from stereotypes?

Stereotypes are generalized beliefs about a group, while prejudice is a negative attitude or feeling toward that group.

What is Implicit prejudice?

A person holds a prejudice without being aware of it

What is explicit prejudice?

prejudice you know you have

What is the psychological prejudice?

Displacement of feelings of anger and disappointment on another group; scapegoating

What is the social prejudice?

Learned from family, friends, media

What is the economic prejudice?

Legitimizes discrimination and supports the status quo

What is the cultural prejudice?

Build group cohesion