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Attributions: process of making inferences about the causes of behaviour…
Attributions
:
process of making inferences about the causes of behaviour or events
THEORIES
Correspondent inference
(Jones & Davis 1965) :silhouette:
Inference that
behaviour
corresponds
to a
stable
personal
characteristic
Preference for correspondent inferences: predict behaviour and sense of control
Other plausible reasons for behaviour = reduces the correspondence inference
Eg. Laughing --> Friendly person, or laughing at you
Covariation
(Kelly 1967) :!?:
Limits to correspondent inference (only draws from 1 instance of behaviour)
Multiple observations
External & internal attributions
External attribution:
high
in
consensus
,
high
in
distinctiveness
,
high
in
consistency
Internal attribution
(idiosyncratic)
:
low
in
consensus
,
low
in
distinctiveness
,
high
in
consistency
Research found: consensus is usually neglected!
Covariation principle: Must be present when it occurs and absent when it doesn't occur: ie cause must co-vary with behaviour
Naive Scientist
(Heider 1958) :warning:
People use
rational, cause-effect analysis
to understand their world
Behaviour is motivated
Irresistible
Teleological explaination
Predict and control
Explain other's intentions
Two kinds
Internal (dispositional)
External (situational)
Misattribution to incorrect source
Performance attributions
(Weiner 1979) :tada:
Attributing someone's task achievement dependent on 3 factors
Controllability:
to what extent is future task performance under the actor's control?
Locus:
performance caused by the actor (internal) or situation (external)
Stability
: is internal/external cause stable or unstable
Good student failed an exam: we presume external factors, unstable, controllable (INSERT DIAGRAM)
Seligman's attributional styles are derived from this (internal, stable, global = correlational to depression)
BIASES
Actor-observer effect
Tendency to attribute own behaviours externally, and others behaviour internally
Can be reversed if different perspectives are adopted
"getting acquainted conversation" (Frank & Gilovich 1980)
3 weeks later: recall conversation from
own vs observer
perspective
Observer perspective: more internal attributions
Actor perspective: more external attributions
Importance of perceptual salience
Why these biases occur
Perceptual salience
(Taylor & Fisk, 1975)
Observers watched 2 actors have a conversation
Actor they faced was judged the most dominant
Informational differences
Actors have more knowledge about how they behaved in different situations
Observers don't have same info (= internal attributions)
Desire for predictability
Cultural differences
Non-western = less inclined to make dispositional attributions
(Miller 1984): USA vs Indian Hindus: Pro & antisocial narratives: USA increased bias with age
Fundamental attribution error
Tendency to make internal > external attributions in explaining the behaviour of others
Correspondence bias
Quiz game (Ross, 1977)
Demonstrates error: discounting plausible external causes
DV:
Ratings of general knowledge: quizmaster perceived to have higher general knowledge than contestant
Quizmaster vs. contestent & observers
Castro speech (Jones & Harris, 1967)
S read speeches pro or anti Castro: told that author either choose freely to write the speech, or instructed to do so
Participants inferred that author's attitude based on the opinions expressed in essay even when stance was assigned
Implications
Ignore situational forces that explain plight of victims
Attribute their plight to personal defect, not society
Rape, disadvantaged minorities, poverty, obesity
"Just World Hypothesis"
Overestimation of contribution of personal abilities to other's successes, and downplay important external factors
Eg. Beatles: chance- being in right place at right time
Outliers: Malcolm Gladwell