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Questions and Answers
What is the primary focus of attribution theory?
What is the primary focus of attribution theory?
Which term refers to the tendency to underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behavior?
Which term refers to the tendency to underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behavior?
In the context of attribution theory, what do 'dispositional factors' refer to?
In the context of attribution theory, what do 'dispositional factors' refer to?
What best describes the actor-observer effect?
What best describes the actor-observer effect?
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Which of the following biases leads individuals to credit themselves for success while blaming external circumstances for failure?
Which of the following biases leads individuals to credit themselves for success while blaming external circumstances for failure?
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What did Fritz Heider contribute to the understanding of attribution?
What did Fritz Heider contribute to the understanding of attribution?
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What does the halo effect refer to in the context of attribution?
What does the halo effect refer to in the context of attribution?
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Which scenario illustrates the self-serving bias?
Which scenario illustrates the self-serving bias?
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What does attribution primarily refer to in psychological terms?
What does attribution primarily refer to in psychological terms?
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What is a consequence of making an internal, stable, and controllable attribution regarding success?
What is a consequence of making an internal, stable, and controllable attribution regarding success?
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What does self-serving bias refer to in the context of group projects?
What does self-serving bias refer to in the context of group projects?
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The actor-observer bias is defined as attributing behavior differently for oneself compared to others. What describes this bias?
The actor-observer bias is defined as attributing behavior differently for oneself compared to others. What describes this bias?
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In saliency bias, what do individuals tend to overlook?
In saliency bias, what do individuals tend to overlook?
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Which bias is characterized by attributing one's successes to internal factors and failures to external factors?
Which bias is characterized by attributing one's successes to internal factors and failures to external factors?
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What does the halo effect imply about someone's traits?
What does the halo effect imply about someone's traits?
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Which statement best describes the horn effect?
Which statement best describes the horn effect?
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How does saliency bias manifest in decision-making?
How does saliency bias manifest in decision-making?
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What are the key cues used in Kelley's Covariation Theory for behavior attribution?
What are the key cues used in Kelley's Covariation Theory for behavior attribution?
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What does the Fundamental Attribution Error entail?
What does the Fundamental Attribution Error entail?
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According to correspondent theory, when are we likely to make dispositional inferences about someone's traits?
According to correspondent theory, when are we likely to make dispositional inferences about someone's traits?
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Which attribution theory specifically examines how individuals attribute achievement success or failure?
Which attribution theory specifically examines how individuals attribute achievement success or failure?
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What is a key aspect of causal attribution theory as proposed by Harold Kelley?
What is a key aspect of causal attribution theory as proposed by Harold Kelley?
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What type of attribution occurs when behavior has high consistency but low distinctiveness and consensus?
What type of attribution occurs when behavior has high consistency but low distinctiveness and consensus?
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Which dimension is NOT included in Weiner’s Achievement Theory of Attribution?
Which dimension is NOT included in Weiner’s Achievement Theory of Attribution?
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Study Notes
Attribution Theory
- Attribution refers to the explanations we give for our own and others' behavior.
- Fritz Heider is considered the father of Attribution Theory.
- Two main types of attribution:
- Dispositional (internal): attributing behavior to personal characteristics (e.g., traits, motives, beliefs).
- Situational (external): attributing behavior to external factors (e.g., surroundings, social influences).
Biases in Attribution
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Correspondence Bias: Overemphasizing dispositional factors and underestimating situational factors when explaining others' behavior.
- Also known as Fundamental Attribution Error or Attribution Effect.
- Example: Assuming someone is late because they are undisciplined, even if there was traffic.
- Was introduced by Edward E. Jones and Keith Davis.
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Actor-Observer Bias: Attributing our own behavior to situational factors and others' behavior to dispositional factors.
- Example: You might be late due to unexpected traffic but think someone else is late due to lack of punctuality.
- Jones and Nisbett (1971) explored this bias.
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Self-Serving Bias: Attributing positive outcomes to internal factors (e.g., intelligence, effort) and negative outcomes to external factors (e.g., bad luck, challenging task).
- Example: You did well on a test because you studied hard but failed another test due to the difficulty of the test.
- Shelley Taylor's research highlights this bias's role in maintaining self-esteem.
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Saliency Bias: Focusing on the most noticeable information while overlooking less noticeable aspects.
- Example: You are more likely to remember the most striking product at a shopping mall or credit the most intelligent person in a group for project success.
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Halo/Horn Effect: Overgeneralizing a single trait of a person to other aspects of their personality.
- Halo Effect: One positive trait overshadows other aspects. (e.g., a topper student being perceived as perfect).
- Horn Effect: One negative trait overshadows other aspects. (e.g., a backbencher being perceived as incapable).
Theories of Attribution
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Correspondent Theory: Developed by Jones and Davis (1965), it explores how we infer someone’s internal traits from their actions.
- Focuses on behaviors with unique outcomes.
- Considers choices and unexpectedness.
- Helps understand how we judge others’ traits based on their actions.
- Correspondent inferences are more likely when behavior is:
- Freely chosen
- Yields unique effects
- Is low in social desirability.
-
Causal Theory/Co-variation Attribution: Introduced by Harold Kelley (1972), it focuses on how people analyze patterns between behavior, person, and situation to attribute behavior.
- Uses three key cues:
- Consistency: How consistent behavior is over time.
- Distinctiveness: How different behavior is in varying situations.
- Consensus: How many other people engage in similar behavior.
- Individuals attribute behavior to internal traits if consistency is high and distinctiveness and consensus are low. The opposite is true for external attributions.
- Uses three key cues:
-
Achievement Theory: Introduced by Bernard Weiner (1985), it examines how individuals attribute success and failure in achievement contexts.
- Uses three dimensions of attribution:
- Locus of Control: Internal or external.
- Stability: Stable or unstable.
- Controllability: Controllable or uncontrollable.
- These dimensions influence emotions and motivation. Internal, stable, and controllable attributions lead to positive emotions and higher motivation.
- Uses three dimensions of attribution:
Quiz
- Q1: What does Attribution mean?
- Correct Answer: Assigning causes to our own and others' behavior.
- Q2: What is an example of the Self-Serving Bias?
- Correct Answer: Attributing positive things to one’s own characteristics and negative things to outer factors.
- Q3: What does the Fundamental Attribution Error (Correspondence Bias) refer to?
- Correct Answer: Overestimating the role of internal factors in others' behavior.
- Q4: What is the actor-observer bias?
- Correct Answer: Attributing one's own behavior to external factors and others' behavior to internal factors.
- Q5: Which attribution theory focuses on success and failure in achievement situations?
- Correct Answer: Achievement Attribution Theory.
- Q6: What are the cues used in Kelley's Covariation Theory to attribute behavior?
- Correct Answer: Consistency, Distinctiveness, and Consensus.
- Q7: What is the dimension of attribution not included in Weiner's Achievement Theory?
- Correct Answer: This question is incomplete and needs additional context. Weiner's theory includes Locus of Control, Stability, and Controllability.
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Description
Explore the complexities of Attribution Theory, including the contributions of Fritz Heider and biases such as Correspondence Bias and Actor-Observer Bias. Understand how we interpret our behavior and that of others through both dispositional and situational perspectives. Engage with real-world examples to deepen your comprehension.
