PSY BEH 104S Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Fundamental Attribution Error, Dispositional Attribution, Attribution Bias
14 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Observer is inclined to attribute actions, especially highly distinctive ones, to properties of the actor: such as personality traits and abilities. People make causal attributions because they need to draw inferences about others (and themselves) in order to make predictions about future behavior. Attribution theory: the study of how people understand the causes of events. From acts to dispositions: inferring the causes of behavior. Causal attribution: the construal process people use to explain both their own and others" behavior. Important because we all make causal attributions many times a day and the attributions we make can greatly affect our thoughts, feelings, and future behavior. Explanatory style: a person"s habitual way of explaining events, three dimensions. Is it due to something about them or something about other people. Will it be present again in the future. Is it something that will influence other areas of life.
