PSYCH253 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Fundamental Attribution Error, Fidel Castro, Valedictorian

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH253
• Professor: Christopher Lok

Document Summary

Attri(cid:271)utio(cid:374) resear(cid:272)hers ha(cid:448)e fou(cid:374)d that (cid:449)he(cid:374) e(cid:454)plai(cid:374)i(cid:374)g so(cid:373)eo(cid:374)e"s (cid:271)eha(cid:448)iour, (cid:449)e underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the extent to which it reflects the i(cid:374)di(cid:448)idual"s traits a(cid:374)d attitudes. Fundamental attribution error: the tendency for observers to underestimate situational i(cid:374)flue(cid:374)(cid:272)es a(cid:374)d o(cid:448)eresti(cid:373)ate dispositio(cid:374)al i(cid:374)flue(cid:374)(cid:272)es o(cid:374) others" (cid:271)eha(cid:448)iour. Also called correspondence bias, because we so often see behaviour as corresponding to a disposition. We tend to presume that others are the way they act. We make this attribution error partly because when we watch someone act, that person is the focus of our attention and the situation is relatively invisible. When we act, our attention is usually on what we are reacting to the situation is more visible. Study: when people read a debate speech supporting or attacking fidel castro, they attributed corresponding attitudes to the speech writer, even when the debate coach assigned the (cid:449)riter"s positio(cid:374)