Social Psychology: Attributions and Biases

These flashcards cover key concepts and biases related to attributions in social psychology.

Attribution

The process of explaining the cause of a behavior.

Consensus

The degree to which an actor's behavior is similar to others in the same situation.

Consistency

The extent to which an actor's behavior occurs in the same situation repeatedly.

Distinctiveness

The extent to which similar situations produce different results.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to attribute others' failures to internal factors.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to take credit for success and blame external causes for failures.

Unrealistic Optimism

The belief that one is less likely to experience negative events compared to others.

Genetic Predisposition

Inherited tendencies towards certain attitudes or behaviors.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

A theory that proposes inconsistency among beliefs or behaviors causes discomfort, driving changes to align them.

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon where increased exposure to a stimulus leads to a more positive attitude towards it.