PSYC 215 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Duke University, Trait Theory, Fundamental Attribution Error
6 Nov 2013
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The observer is inclined to attribute actions, especially highly distinctive ones, to properties of the actor, such as personality trait and abilities. The actor is more inclined to attribute the same action to situational factors. Causal attribution: the ways that people try to understand why others, as well as they themselves, do the things they do. People engage in causal attribution because they need to draw inferences about others and themselves based on their behaviour, but the true meaning of an action may not be clear. Attribution theory: the study of how people assign causes to the events around them and the effect that people"s causal assessment have. From acts to dispositions: inferring the causes of behaviour. Causal attribution: linking an event to a cause, such as inferring that a personality trait was responsible for a behaviour (the process people use to explain both their own and others" behaviour.
