PSYC 215 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5,6,9,10: Symmetry In Biology, Mind-Wandering, Physical Attractiveness

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 215
• Professor: Lauren Human

Document Summary

Attribution theory: a set of concepts explaining how people assign causes to the events around them a(cid:374)d the effe(cid:272)ts of people"s (cid:272)ausal assess(cid:373)e(cid:374)ts. Causal attribution: linking an event to a cause, such as inferring that a personality trait is responsible for a behaviour (construal process people use to e(cid:454)plai(cid:374) (cid:271)oth thei(cid:396) o(cid:449)(cid:374) a(cid:374)d othe(cid:396)s" (cid:271)eha(cid:448)iou(cid:396)(cid:895). What is behind their behaviour and what drives people to engage in them. Explanatory style: a pe(cid:396)so(cid:374)"s ha(cid:271)itual (cid:449)a(cid:455) of e(cid:454)plai(cid:374)i(cid:374)g e(cid:448)e(cid:374)ts t(cid:455)pi(cid:272)all(cid:455) assessed alo(cid:374)g th(cid:396)ee dimensions: internal/external, stable/unstable, and global/specific. Global something affects many areas of life. Specific applies to only a few areas of life. Pessimistic explanatory style: attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes (decreases health in long term). But, changing any or all of these attributions could be very beneficial. It can be independent of other dimensions internal causes can be either controllable or not. (e. g. controllable: (cid:862)i did(cid:374)"t stud(cid:455) ha(cid:396)d e(cid:374)ough(cid:863); u(cid:374)(cid:272)o(cid:374)t(cid:396)olla(cid:271)le: (cid:862)i just do(cid:374)"t get it(cid:863)(cid:895).