Attributions in Psychology Quiz: External, Internal, and Biases

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Questions and Answers

What are internal attributions based on?

Situational factors

Fundamental attribution error

Bias and errors

Personality-based explanations (correct)

Which attribution model describes the tendency to overvalue internal explanations for another person's behavior?

Fundamental attribution error (correct)

Covariation model

Three-dimensional model

Actor-observer discrepancy

What does the self-serving bias involve attributing successful outcomes to?

Actor-observer discrepancy

External causes

Internal causes (correct)

Bias and errors

When explaining our own behavior, what attribution are we more likely to use according to the text?

External, situational attribution Signup and view all the answers

Which bias refers to attributing internal factors for success and external factors for failure?

Self-serving bias Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the tendency to overemphasize internal characteristics to explain someone else's behavior?

Fundamental attribution error Signup and view all the answers

Which theory suggests that people tend to attribute behavior to internal or external causes based on the consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus of the behavior?

Covariation model Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the tendency to attribute one's successes to internal factors and failures to external factors?

Self-serving bias Signup and view all the answers

Which model of attribution considers consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness when explaining behavior?

Covariation Model of Attribution Signup and view all the answers

The tendency to attribute others' behaviors to external causes rather than internal causes is known as:

Fundamental attribution error Signup and view all the answers

What determines your reactions to others according to the text?

Your perceptions of them Signup and view all the answers

What influences how we perceive others and how we act on our perceptions?

Our self-perception Signup and view all the answers

What do implicit personality theories serve as?

Mental shortcuts in perceiving other people Signup and view all the answers

According to attribution theory, what does it explore regarding behaviors?

How individuals attribute the causes of behaviors Signup and view all the answers

In internal attribution, how are causes of behavior classified?

As factors internal to the individual Signup and view all the answers

What are the three types of information an individual considers when making an attribution, according to the text?

Consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency Signup and view all the answers

In the context of attribution theories, what does the Covariation Model propose?

It suggests that individuals attribute behavior to factors that are present every time the behavior occurs Signup and view all the answers

How does the Three-Dimensional Model of Attribution influence a person's future behavior?

By impacting attributions and expectations leading to future approach behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What determines the amount of effort a person will put forth in similar situations in the future, according to attribution theory?

Attributions and perceptions about success and failure Signup and view all the answers

In the context of making attributions, what is the significance of 'distinctiveness' as discussed in the text?

It highlights how an individual responds differently to various stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What does an individual with an internal locus of control believe?

They perceive people as active participants capable of influencing what happens to them Signup and view all the answers

In the covariation model, what does controllability refer to?

The extent to which a cause is able or unable to be controlled Signup and view all the answers

What do individuals with an external locus of control believe about the world?

They view events as uncontrollable and unpredictable Signup and view all the answers

Which cultural factor values conformity, mutual support, and interdependence?

Collectivist cultures Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between stable and unstable attributions?

Stable attributions are fixed over time, while unstable attributions changeable Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between internal attribution and external attribution?

Internal attribution emphasizes dispositional or personality-based explanations, while external attribution emphasizes situational factors. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the text, what type of attribution would be made if someone believed that a person aced a test because the test was too easy?

External attribution Signup and view all the answers

According to the covariation model of attribution, what principle guides people in attributing behavior to specific causes?

Covariation principle Signup and view all the answers

What is one assumption underlying the covariation model of attribution?

People make causal attributions rationally and logically. Signup and view all the answers

How does the three-dimensional model of attribution differ from the covariation model?

The three-dimensional model considers individuals' personalities, behaviors, and situations simultaneously, while the covariation model focuses only on behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What does the just-world hypothesis suggest?

People get what they deserve and deserve what they get. Signup and view all the answers

In the covariation model of attribution, what is considered when determining the cause of an event?

Consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus. Signup and view all the answers

What type of attribution style attributes negative events to global, stable, internal causes?

Pessimistic explanatory style. Signup and view all the answers

According to the three-dimensional model of attribution, what are the three dimensions involved in making attributions?

Internal vs. External, Stable vs. Unstable, Global vs. Specific. Signup and view all the answers

When using an explanatory attribution, what does a person with an optimistic style attribute positive events to?

Global, stable, internal causes. Signup and view all the answers

What type of attribution is focused on explaining events based on interactions between individuals?

Interpersonal attribution. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of attribution models, what is the opposite of an internal attribution?

External attribution. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Internal attributions: dispositional or personality-based explanations
External attributions: emphasize situational factors

Attribution Errors and Biases

Fundamental attribution error: over-valuing internal explanations and under-valuing external explanations
Self-serving bias: attributing internal factors for success and external factors for failure
Actor-observer bias: using external attributions for others' behavior and internal attributions for one's own behavior
Just-world hypothesis: believing that the world is fair and people get what they deserve

Social perception: forming impressions of others based on limited information
Person perception: an active and subjective process that involves evaluating others' characteristics and motives
Three key components of person perception: the characteristics of the person being evaluated, the characteristics of the perceiver, and the specific situation

Person Perception Principles

Y-YEP: reactions to others are determined by perceptions, not by reality
Expectations: evaluating people based on how they are expected to behave in a situation
Social norms: rules or expectations for appropriate behavior in a particular social situation
Self-perception: influences how we perceive others and act on our perceptions

Implicit Personality Theories

A network of assumptions or beliefs about the relationships among various types of people, traits, and behaviors
Can be useful as mental shortcuts, but are not always accurate

Attribution Theory

Explains how individuals attribute, or explain, the causes of their own and others' behaviors
Attributions are classified as either internal or external
Three types of information considered when making an attribution: consensus, distinctive information, and consistency

Three-Dimensional Model of Attribution

Suggests that attributions and perceptions about one's own success and failure determine the amount of effort put forth in similar situations
Three components of attributions: locus of control, stability, and controllability
Locus of control: internal (seeing people as active participants) or external (seeing the world as happening to people)
Stability: attributions that are stable or unstable over time
Controllability: the extent to which a cause is controllable or uncontrollable

Cultural Factors in Attribution

Individualist cultures value personal goals and independence
Collectivist cultures value conformity, mutual support, and interdependence
Cultural differences affect how people make attributions

Attitudes

A learned tendency to evaluate some object, person, or issue in a particular way
Evaluations may be positive, negative, or ambivalent
Attributions can influence attitudes

Attribution Models

Covariation model: assumes that people make causal attributions in a rational, logical fashion
Three-dimensional model: suggests that attributions and perceptions about one's own success and failure determine the amount of effort put forth in similar situations

Explanatory and Interpersonal Attribution

Explanatory attribution: an attempt to understand the world and seek reasons for a particular event
Optimistic explanatory style: attributes positive events to global, stable, internal causes and negative events to specific, unstable, external causes
Pessimistic explanatory style: attributes negative events to global, stable, internal causes and positive events to specific, unstable, external causes
Interpersonal attribution: an attempt to explain the reasons for an event based on an interaction between two or more individuals

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Description

Learn about internal and external attributions in psychology, as well as common biases and errors individuals make when attributing behavior to themselves and others. Explore concepts such as the fundamental attribution error, the self-serving bias, the actor-observer bias, and the just-world hypothesis.

Understanding Attributions and Biases in Psychology