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What is attribution?
What is attribution?
The process by which people explain the causes of behavior and events.
Which two types of causes are used to explain behavior in causal reasoning?
Which two types of causes are used to explain behavior in causal reasoning?
Heider's Attribution Theory focused on the concept of 'common-sense psychology'.
Heider's Attribution Theory focused on the concept of 'common-sense psychology'.
True
What is the definition of 'uncommon' behavior in the Correspondent Inference Theory?
What is the definition of 'uncommon' behavior in the Correspondent Inference Theory?
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What question does Kelley's ANOVA Model seek to answer?
What question does Kelley's ANOVA Model seek to answer?
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The Fundamental Attribution Error is characterized by overemphasizing situational factors while ignoring internal traits.
The Fundamental Attribution Error is characterized by overemphasizing situational factors while ignoring internal traits.
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What is the main difference between the Actor-Observer Bias and the Fundamental Attribution Error?
What is the main difference between the Actor-Observer Bias and the Fundamental Attribution Error?
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Define 'social inferences'.
Define 'social inferences'.
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Early researchers believed that human inferences were always based on pure rationality.
Early researchers believed that human inferences were always based on pure rationality.
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What is the main purpose of 'heuristics' in decision-making?
What is the main purpose of 'heuristics' in decision-making?
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What are the three main reasons we use heuristics? (Select all that apply)
What are the three main reasons we use heuristics? (Select all that apply)
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Describe the Representativeness Heuristic.
Describe the Representativeness Heuristic.
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What is the main issue with the Conjunction Fallacy?
What is the main issue with the Conjunction Fallacy?
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The Availability Heuristic relies on how easily examples come to mind.
The Availability Heuristic relies on how easily examples come to mind.
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What is the potential negative outcome of the Self-Centered Bias?
What is the potential negative outcome of the Self-Centered Bias?
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Describe the Simulation Heuristic.
Describe the Simulation Heuristic.
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What is the core function of the Anchoring Heuristic?
What is the core function of the Anchoring Heuristic?
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Ignoring base rates is a potential error associated with heuristics because we focus solely on vivid examples rather than statistical probabilities.
Ignoring base rates is a potential error associated with heuristics because we focus solely on vivid examples rather than statistical probabilities.
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Explain the concept of 'Illusory Correlations' in terms of heuristics.
Explain the concept of 'Illusory Correlations' in terms of heuristics.
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The Failure to Understand Regression suggests that extreme events will continue to be extreme, even with no change in underlying factors.
The Failure to Understand Regression suggests that extreme events will continue to be extreme, even with no change in underlying factors.
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Heuristics are often most useful for high-stakes decisions.
Heuristics are often most useful for high-stakes decisions.
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When is it less likely that we will rely on heuristics to make decisions? (Choose all that apply)
When is it less likely that we will rely on heuristics to make decisions? (Choose all that apply)
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Heuristics always lead to negative outcomes.
Heuristics always lead to negative outcomes.
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What are the two main reasons that heuristics can lead to errors?
What are the two main reasons that heuristics can lead to errors?
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In which of the following real-world applications are heuristics commonly employed? (Choose all that apply)
In which of the following real-world applications are heuristics commonly employed? (Choose all that apply)
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Study Notes
Attribution Processes
- Attribution is the process people use to explain the causes of behaviors and events.
- Examples include: "Why didn't my friend invite me?" or "Why did my girlfriend break up with me?"
Key Concepts in Attribution
- Causal Reasoning: People try to determine if a cause is internal (personal character) or external (situational factors).
- Example: Did someone fail an exam because they didn't study (internal) or because the test was unfair (external)?
Early Theories of Attribution
- Heider's Theory (1958): Focused on common-sense psychology, examining dispositional (internal) vs. situational (external) causes of behavior.
- Jones and Davis' Correspondent Inference Theory (1965): States that people infer stable traits (e.g., kindness or dishonesty) from intentional behaviors that are uncommon and not role-constrained.
- Kelley's ANOVA Model (1967): Analyzes behavior patterns to determine if the cause is due to distinctiveness, consistency, or consensus.
Biases in Attribution
- Fundamental Attribution Error: Overemphasizing internal traits and ignoring situational factors when judging others (e.g., assuming a waiter is rude due to personality rather than a bad day).
- Actor-Observer Bias: Attributing our own behavior to situations but others' behavior to their dispositions (e.g., "I tripped because of the slippery floor, but they tripped because they're clumsy").
Social Inferences
- Social inferences are conclusions drawn about others based on behavior or available information.
- Rational vs. Biased Inferences: Early research viewed inferences as rational, while reality shows people use heuristics and are susceptible to biases and emotions.
Biases in Inference
- Biased Hypothesis Testing: Seeking confirming evidence and ignoring disconfirming evidence.
- Dilution Effect: Mixing irrelevant information with useful information weakens the impact of the diagnostic information.
Cultural Differences
- Westerners: More likely to make dispositional attributions.
- East Asians: More likely to consider situational factors (holistic perspective).
Motivated Inferences
- Biased inferences that may serve psychological needs like maintaining self-esteem or reducing anxiety.
Heuristics and Shortcuts
- Definition: Mental shortcuts used to make quick decisions without fully analyzing all information.
- Reasons for use: Time constraints, cognitive overload, and need for efficiency.
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Types:
- Representativeness heuristic: Judging likelihood of an event based on how similar it is to a prototype.
- Availability heuristic: Judging likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind.
- Simulation heuristic: Predicting outcomes or explaining events by imagining how they could have happened.
- Anchoring heuristic: Starting with a reference point and adjusting insufficiently from it.
Errors from Heuristics
- Ignoring Base Rates: Overlooking statistical probabilities.
- Illusory Correlations: Seeing patterns where none exist.
- Failure to Understand Regression: Misunderstanding that extreme events often return to average.
When To Use Heuristics
- Under high cognitive load (distracted or multitasking).
- For routine tasks.
- For unimportant decisions.
Real-World Applications
- Social judgments: Stereotypes, medical decisions, legal rulings, and marketing strategies are all impacted by the use of heuristics.
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Description
Explore the fundamental concepts of attribution in psychology, including causal reasoning and early theories such as Heider's and Kelley's models. This quiz will challenge your understanding of how people explain behaviors and events through internal and external causes.
