Study Notes on Attribution Theory

Introduction to Attribution Theory

  • Attribution involves assigning causes to behavior, both one's own and that of others.

Key Concepts in Attribution

  • Attribution Process
    • Understanding how we interpret social interactions and behaviors.
    • Fritz Heider was the first social psychologist to systematically study causal attribution.
    • Heider believed individuals make sense of the world by following simple rules of causality.
    • Attribution theories attempt to uncover what those rules are.

Types of Attribution

  • Causal Attribution
    • The process of determining the causes of people's behavior.
    • There are two major types: personal and situational attributions.
    • Personal Attribution
    • Also known as internal or dispositional attribution.
    • Involves inference that behavior is due to personal factors (traits, abilities, feelings).
    • Example: If Maria believes her car breaks down due to her ignorance about cars—this is an internal attribution.
    • Situational Attribution
    • Also known as external attribution.
    • Involves inference that behavior is due to external factors (situation, environment).
    • Example: If Maria believes her car breaks down because it is old—this is an external attribution.

Differences in Attribution

  • People tend to make personal attributions concerning others and situational attributions for themselves.
    • If something bad happens to someone else: assumed personality flaws cause it.
    • If something bad happens to oneself: attributed to situational influences.

Correspondent Inference Theory

  • Focuses on how we make internal attributions about others, especially when behavior is ambiguous.
  • Seeks processes behind internal attributions.

Covariance Principle

  • States that a behavior is more likely caused by a situation if it varies across different situations.
    • Causes can be attributed to:
    • Person (internal attribution)
    • Stimulus (external attribution)
    • Circumstances (combination of internal and external)
  • Components of Covariation
    • 1. Choice: Freely chosen behavior often attributed to internal factors.
    • If it seems chosen, it’s likely an internal attribution.
    • 2. Accidental vs. Intentional:
    • Intentional behavior is attributes to personality, while accidental behavior is attributed to situational causes.
    • 3. Social Desirability:
    • Nonconforming behaviors lead to internal inferences more than socially acceptable behaviors.
    • 4. Edenistic Relevance:
    • The degree to which a person's behavior seems intended to benefit or harm us.
    • 5. Personalism:
    • The degree to which behavior is perceived as having impact on us directly.

Components of Covariation

  • Consensus:
    • Refers to how other individuals behave in similar conditions.
    • High consensus indicates the stimulus is the cause, low consensus suggests a personal attribution.
  • Distinctiveness:
    • Refers to the uniqueness of behavior across different situations.
    • High distinctiveness means unique behavior for the context, low distinctiveness means common behavior.
  • Consistency:
    • Refers to behavior occurring reliably over time in similar situations.
    • High consistency suggests the behavior is indicative of a personality trait; low consistency does not.

Attribution Theory of Bernard Weiner

  • Weiner posited a three-stage process in attribution:
    1. Behavior must be perceived.
    2. Behavior must be determined as intentional.
    3. Behavior is attributed to internal or external causes.

Factors Affecting Attribution

  • Key Factors:
    • Ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck.
    • External situations dictate failures more often for oneself, reinforcing both internal and external locus of control for others.

Causal Dimensions of Attribution

  • 1. Locus of Control:
    • Internal causes (skills) vs. External causes (luck).
  • 2. Stability:
    • Do causes remain constant over time?
  • 3. Controllability:
    • Can causes be controlled? E.g., skills are controllable vs. luck is not.

Common Biases in Attribution

  • Fundamental Attribution Error:
    • Tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences on others.
  • Actor-Observer Effect:
    • When people attribute their behavior to situational causes but attribute others' behaviors to personal causes.

Conclusion

  • Attribution processes are complex and influenced by numerous factors, including personal biases, social context, and the nature of the observed behavior. Understanding these concepts is essential for interpreting social interactions accurately and avoiding common errors in judgment.