Attribution Theory

• Definition: Attribution theory explains how we interpret and understand the behaviors of others and ourselves.

  • Types of Attribution:
  • Dispositional Attribution: Inferring someone's behavior based on their character or disposition (e.g., concluding someone is late because they are inconsiderate).
  • Situational Attribution: Considering the context or environment influencing behavior (e.g., understanding someone is late due to unforeseen circumstances).

• Fundamental Attribution Error: The tendency to overemphasize dispositional factors when explaining others' behavior, while underestimating situational influences.

  • Example: Assuming a student did well on an exam simply because they are intelligent, not considering they may have studied effectively.

• Self-Serving Bias: When attributing successes to internal factors (e.g., intelligence) while blaming external factors for failures (e.g., bad luck).

Social Influence

• Definition: Social influence refers to how individuals change their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in response to others.

• Social Norms:

  • Definition: Shared guidelines or rules for behavior in a group or culture.
  • Types:
  • Explicit: Clearly communicated rules (e.g., laws).
  • Implicit: Unwritten rules that are understood and followed (e.g., facing the doors in an elevator).
  • Implication: Deviating from these norms can lead to social rejection or being considered strange or abnormal.

Conformity and Compliance

• Conformity:

  • Experiments: Classic studies showed that people often conform to group opinion even when it's clearly incorrect (e.g., the Asch conformity experiments with line comparisons).
  • Normative Influence: Conforming to avoid being rejected or ostracized.
  • Informational Influence: Conforming because we believe others are correct, such as following a majority answer in a class.

• Compliance:

  • Definition: Agreeing to a request made by someone else.
  • Examples: Raising a hand in class when asked by a teacher.
  • Strategies to Gain Compliance:
  • Door-in-the-Face: Starting with a large request that is likely to be refused, then following up with a smaller request.
  • Lowballing: Offering a favorable deal that is later changed to be less favorable once compliant.

Social Behavior and Helping Instances

• Pro-social Behavior: Voluntary behavior intended to help others without expecting personal gain (e.g., helping a stranger).

• Egotistic Helping: Helping that results in personal gain (e.g., volunteering for a resume boost).

• Altruism: Helping others without expecting anything in return, even at a potential cost to oneself.

• Factors Affecting Helping Behavior:

  • In-Group Bias: More likely to help people who are similar to ourselves (e.g., same gender, ethnicity).
  • Bystander Effect: The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when there are other people present, under the assumption someone else will take responsibility.

• Healthy Mindset and Behavior:

  • Engaging in healthy behaviors and self-care, benefiting not just oneself but the community as well.

Cultural Influences on Behavior

• Influence of Environment: Social behavior can vary based on urban versus rural settings, where people in rural areas may feel more social responsibility to help others due to lower population density and closer community ties.
• Cultural Norms: Understanding the expectations within specific groups and cultures influences behavior, decision making, and social interactions.