Attribution Theory (Examples and What it is)

Summary

This video delves into the fascinating world of attribution theory, exploring how people explain and interpret human behavior. The video covers key concepts such as dispositional and situational attribution, the process of understanding others’ actions, and the errors we make when making attributions. The theory's history is traced back to Fritz Heider, and further theories like correspondent inference theory and Harold Kelly's covariation model are examined. The video highlights how people judge behaviors based on internal or external factors and encourages viewers to reflect on how they perceive others' actions and the motives behind them.

Takeaways

• 😀 Attribution theory explains how people attempt to understand the behavior of others and why they do the things they do.
• 😀 People commonly try to explain the behavior of others, even without realizing it, like assuming someone is running from the police.
• 😀 There are two main types of attributions: dispositional (internal) attribution, which links behavior to personal traits, and situational (external) attribution, which links behavior to external factors.
• 😀 Dispositional attribution could involve assuming someone's behavior (e.g., crying in public) is due to their personality or emotional state.
• 😀 Situational attribution focuses on the external factors influencing someone's behavior, like assuming someone crying is due to a recent breakup.
• 😀 Actor-observer bias suggests people are more likely to attribute their own actions to external factors but others' actions to internal ones.
• 😀 Correspondent inference theory suggests that people attribute behavior to internal traits when it is intentional, unusual, or directed at someone.
• 😀 An example of correspondent inference is assuming a person harassing you in public does so because of their character, not external factors.
• 😀 Kelly’s covariation model provides a framework to determine whether behavior is internally or externally motivated, using three factors: consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency.
• 😀 Consensus looks at how others behave in the same situation, distinctiveness considers how a person behaves in similar situations, and consistency checks if the behavior is typical for that person.
• 😀 The goal of understanding attribution theory is to refine how we make judgments about others' behaviors and avoid misattributing motives.

Q & A

What is attribution theory in psychology?

Attribution theory in psychology explains how people attribute causes to others' behaviors, focusing on whether behaviors are due to internal traits (dispositional attribution) or external factors (situational attribution).

What are the two main types of attribution in attribution theory?

The two main types of attribution in attribution theory are dispositional attribution, which explains behavior as stemming from internal factors, and situational attribution, which explains behavior as a result of external circumstances.

How does dispositional attribution differ from situational attribution?

Dispositional attribution assigns a person's behavior to their internal traits or characteristics, such as emotions or personality, while situational attribution attributes behavior to external influences, such as environment or events.

Can you give an example of dispositional attribution?

An example of dispositional attribution would be assuming someone is crying on the subway because they are emotionally unstable or overly sensitive, based on their internal characteristics.

What is correspondent inference theory?

Correspondent inference theory, proposed by Jones and Davis, suggests that people are more likely to make internal attributions when a person's behavior is freely chosen, intentional, unusual, or directed at a person. This theory helps explain how we judge someone's character based on specific actions.

What factors influence whether we make an internal or external attribution according to Kelly's covariation model?

Kelly's covariation model suggests three factors to consider: consensus (how others behave in the same situation), distinctiveness (how someone behaves in similar situations), and consistency (whether the behavior is repeated in similar contexts). These factors help determine if behavior is internally or externally motivated.

How does consensus affect attribution in Kelly’s covariation model?

Consensus refers to how others in the same situation behave. If many people behave similarly, consensus is high, and behavior is more likely to be attributed to external factors. If few people behave similarly, consensus is low, suggesting the behavior might stem from internal traits.

What is the role of distinctiveness in attribution?

Distinctiveness refers to how a person behaves in different situations. If a person’s behavior is unique to the situation, distinctiveness is high, and the behavior is more likely to be attributed to external factors. If they act similarly in various situations, the behavior may be attributed to their internal characteristics.

What is the importance of consistency in Kelly’s covariation model?

Consistency refers to whether the person’s behavior is the same across similar situations. High consistency suggests the behavior is likely a result of internal factors, while low consistency indicates it may be influenced by external circumstances.

Why do we sometimes make incorrect attributions about people’s behavior?

We sometimes make incorrect attributions due to biases like the actor-observer bias, where we tend to attribute our own behavior to external factors but others' behavior to internal factors, and other cognitive errors that distort our judgment of motives.