Topic 4.1 Attribution Theory and Person Perception

Topic 4.1: Attribution Theory and Person Perception

4.1.A: Attribution Theory in Behavior and Mental Processes

• Attribution Theory explains how individuals interpret and understand behaviors of themselves and others.

• Attributions can be categorized as either:

  • Dispositional Attributions: Attributing behavior to internal characteristics of a person (traits, personality).

  • Situational Attributions: Attributing behavior to external circumstances or situations.

4.1.B: Locus of Control and its Effect on Behavior

• Locus of Control refers to the extent to which individuals believe they have control over their life events.

  • Internal Locus of Control: Belief that one has control over their outcomes through their actions.

  • External Locus of Control: Belief that outside forces or luck dictate outcomes.

• Individuals with an internal locus of control tend to achieve more and maintain better mental health.

4.1.C: Person Perception and Mental Processes

• Person Perception involves how we form impressions about ourselves and others, and includes attribution of behaviors.

Vocabulary/Concepts

• Attributions

  • Dispositional attributions

  • Situational attributions

• Explanatory Style

  • Optimistic explanatory style

  • Pessimistic explanatory style

• Actor/Observer Bias: Differences in attribution based on being an observer versus the actor in a situation.

• Fundamental Attribution Error (F.A.E.): The tendency to overemphasize personality or disposition in explaining others’ behavior while underestimating situational factors.

• Self-Serving Bias: Tendency to credit oneself for positive outcomes and blame situational factors for negative results.

• Internal and External Locus of Control

• Mere Exposure Effect: Increased liking through repeated exposure.

• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Beliefs about a person lead to behaviors that reinforce those beliefs.

• Social Comparison: Evaluating oneself against others, including:

  • Upward social comparison

  • Downward social comparison

• Relative Deprivation: Feeling deprived in comparison to others.

Social Psychology Basics

• Social psychology studies how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others.

  • Focus on why individuals act differently in various situations.

Influence of Group Presence

• The presence of others can significantly impact behaviors and mental processes.

  • Personality Psychologists: Focus on individual traits to explain behavior differences.

  • Social Psychologists: Examine situational factors affecting behavior.

Attribution and Person Perception

• Person perception relates to how we view ourselves and others, including attributing behaviors.

• Attribution: Explaining the causes behind behaviors and mental processes.

• Explanatory Style: Predetermined patterns of attribution regarding events, including:

  • Pessimistic Explanatory Style: Interpreting events negatively (e.g., "It’s all my fault").

  • Optimistic Explanatory Style: Interpreting events positively (e.g., "I’ll do better next time").

Attribution Theory (Eric Heider)

• Attribution Theory states behavior is attributed to either dispositional (internal) or situational (external) causes:

  • Dispositional Attribution: Attributing behavior to a person's traits.

  • Situational Attribution: Attributing behavior to external circumstances, including historical factors.

• These attributions can be influenced by societal stereotypes and prejudices.

Cognitive Biases and Attribution

• Biases can distort our attributions affecting behavior and mental processes, including:

  • Self-Serving Bias

  • Fundamental Attribution Error

  • Actor/Observer Bias

Self-Serving Bias Explained

• Self-serving bias enables individuals to perceive themselves positively:

  • Take credit for success (dispositional) while blaming external factors for failures (situational).

  • E.g., High exam score attributed to intelligence, low score attributed to teacher bias.

Self-Esteem Issues

• Individuals often view themselves as better than average, leading to defensive self-esteem.

• Self-serving bias helps maintain a positive self-view, even if reality is ignored.

  • This can lead to strategic behavior aimed at gaining reassurance from others.

Fundamental Attribution Error (F.A.E.)

• F.A.E. involves overestimating the influence of personal characteristics when explaining others' behavior, leading to misinterpretation of situations.

  • Example: Believing a driver is reckless rather than understanding possible situational influences.

Actor-Observer Bias

• Actor-Observer Bias states observers tend to attribute others' behaviors to their internal factors, while attributors consider external factors for their own actions.

• This bias contributes to the Fundamental Attribution Error by skewing the judgment of behaviors.

Social Attribution Factors: Cognitive Biases

• Halo Effect: Positive impressions of a person based on single traits can influence overall perception.

  • Attractive individuals may be viewed more favorably due to their physical traits.

• Just-World Phenomenon: The belief that people get what they deserve, often leading to victim-blaming.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy describes how beliefs about others can change behavior to conform with those beliefs, impacting their outcomes.

  • An example includes students who underperform due to negative expectations.

Locus (Perception) of Control (Julian Rotter)

• Internal vs. External locus of control impacts feelings of empowerment and mental health.

  • Internal Locus of Control (ILC): Belief in personal influence over fate leads to better outcomes.

  • External Locus of Control (ELC): Belief that circumstances dictate fate can increase vulnerability to depression.

The Role of Proximity in Relationships

• Proximity affects liking due to the Mere-Exposure Effect, where familiarity breeds preference.

  • More exposure typically leads to increased affinity—not limited to romantic relationships.

Social Comparison Theory (Leon Festinger)

• Individuals evaluate self-worth through social comparisons with others, affecting self-perception:

  • Upward Social Comparison: Referencing those perceived as superior may motivate self-improvement.

  • Downward Social Comparison: Comparing to those perceived as inferior can enhance self-esteem.

• Relative deprivation influences feelings of entitlement and material inadequacy.