Psychology: Attribution Theories Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is Fundamental Attribution Theory?

Explanation behind the causes for our own and others' behavior.

Define Fundamental Attribution Error.

The tendency to place a heavy emphasis on internal personality characteristics to explain someone's behavior.

What is Dispositional Attribution?

Explaining people's behavior in terms of factors specific to them, such as traits or personality.

Provide an example of Dispositional Attribution.

Thinking someone is a jerk for swerving into your lane without considering other factors. Signup and view all the answers

What is Situational Attribution?

A person's behavior is dependent on the situation or environment they are in. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of Situational Attribution.

Believing a man who swerved to avoid hitting a child is not a jerk. Signup and view all the answers

Dispositional attribution attributes behavior to the internal state of the person, while situational attribution attributes behavior to factors in the person's ______.

environment Signup and view all the answers

Why do we attribute behavior?

To find explanations. Signup and view all the answers

What was the title of the supporting study in 1971?

Stanford Prison Experiment. Signup and view all the answers

What was the aim of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

To investigate how people react in difficult situations. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the method used in the Stanford Prison Experiment.

Simulated prison with participants assigned as guards or prisoners. Signup and view all the answers

What were the results of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Guards showed empowerment and aggression, while prisoners became passive and anxious. Signup and view all the answers

What was the conclusion of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Situational rather than dispositional factors caused negative behavior and thoughts in prison settings. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fundamental Concepts in Attribution Theory

Fundamental Attribution Theory explains the reasons behind individuals' behavior, focusing on how events are interpreted.
Fundamental Attribution Error suggests a tendency to overemphasize internal traits while underestimating external situational factors when explaining others' behavior.

Dispositional and Situational Attribution

Dispositional Attribution attributes behavior to personal traits or characteristics, which can be viewed positively or negatively.
Situational Attribution links behavior to external circumstances or environmental factors affecting a person.

Examples of Attribution

Dispositional Attribution Example: Believing someone who cuts you off in traffic is rude, attributing their behavior to their character.
Situational Attribution Example: Reassessing the same driver's behavior upon seeing a child run into the street, attributing their actions to the urgent situation rather than a personality flaw.

Comparison of Dispositional vs. Situational

Dispositional Attribution focuses on internal states of an individual, while Situational Attribution considers environmental influences.

Purpose of Attribution

Attribution serves as a mechanism for humans to understand and make sense of behaviors and actions either in themselves or others.

Supporting Study Overview

The Stanford Prison Experiment conducted by Zimbardo in 1971 aimed to study reactions of individuals in high-stress situations.

Study Methodology

A simulated prison was set up in Stanford's basement, with participants assigned roles as guards or prisoners.
Independent Variable was the assigned role, while the Dependent Variable was the observable behavior of participants.

Study Findings

Guards exhibited aggressive and dominating behavior, while prisoners displayed passivity and signs of distress.
Results indicated that participant behavior was closely linked to the roles they were given in the simulated setting.

Conclusion of the Study

The experiment concluded that situational factors, rather than dispositional traits, influenced behavior and attitudes in a prison environment, highlighting the powerful impact of context on human behavior.

Description

Explore the essential concepts of Fundamental Attribution Theory and Fundamental Attribution Error. These flashcards help clarify how situational and dispositional factors influence our understanding of behavior. Ideal for psychology students looking to deepen their knowledge of attribution processes.