PSYCH 1X03 Lecture Notes - Fundamental Attribution Error, Dispositional Attribution

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 1X03
• Professor: Joe Kim

Document Summary

For every observed behaviour, there are many possible motivating factors. Attribution = how you assign cause and effect to certain circumstance. Situational attribution = behaviour attributed to the situation. Dispositional attribution = behaviour attributed to the disposition or traits of the individual. Jones and david"s correspondent inference theory: you actively analyze a person"s behaviour to make inferences based on three variables, degree of choice, expectation, and the intended consequences of the behaviour. Expectation: uncommon behaviour gives us more information than common behaviour. Is a behaviour due to an individual"s personal disposition or the situation and circumstances: 3 variables: consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus. Distinctiveness: does the individual behave differently in different situations: yes = behaviour probably driven by the situation, no = behaviour driven my their disposition. Consensus: do others behave similarly in this situation: yes = behaviour probably due to the situation, no = different behaviours probably due to each individual"s disposition.