attribution theories Correspondent Interference Theory & Covariation Theory
Correspondent Interference Theory suggests we attribute others' behaviours based
on degree of choice, expectation and intended consequences
degree of choice (+example) did he chose to act in this manner? was he forced?
(ex: you may develop strong emotions for or against an actor playing a role based on
the role's characteristics)
expectation how expected/typical a behaviour is; uncommon behaviour gives us a lot
more information (to infer a cause) than a common one
intended consequences looking at underlying intentions of behaviour
Covariation Theory determines if we will attribute someone's behaviour to dispositional
factors or situational factors; consistency, distinctiveness, consensus
consistency does this person usually behave this way in this particular situation? If yes,
we can continue to seek an explanation for the behaviour
distinctiveness does the individual behave differently in different situations? Yes =
situational behaviour; No = dispositional behaviour
consensus do others behave similarly in this particular situation? Yes = situational
(everyones behaviour is similarly influenced by this situation); No = dispositional (the
different behaviours in the given situation likely due to each individual's unique
disposition)
Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE) coined by Ross; our tendency to over-value
dispositional factors for the observed behaviour of others while under-valuing situational
factor
Actor/Observer Effect you as the actor are better aware of the situational factors
affecting your behaviour, but when you observe others you only have the current
situation at hand & you assume the person's behaviour is typical for them/dispositional
evidence of actor/observer effect from teen drivers teens are more likely to attribute
their own risky driving to situational factors & attribute their friends' risky driving to
dispositional factors
collectivist society people from these are less likely to make the fundamental
attribution error; asian countries
cultural differences in FAE for young children american 8-11 year olds attribute
behaviour to situational and dispositional causes equally; indian children, by 11 years
old, attribute behaviour to situational factors more often
cultural differences in FAE for teens and adults american adults tend to attribute
behaviours to dispositional factors more often; indian adults tend to attribute behaviours
to situational factors more often
attributions made by Olympics athletes from different cultures American gold
medalists are more likely to attribute their performance to their determination and talent
while Japanese gold medalists are more likely to attribute their performance to the
success of the coaching team & organization
where does the fundamental attribution error decrease? where there is less focus
on individual behaviour and more focus on relationships & roles within society
self-serving bias tendency to perceive yourself favourably; may lead you to think you
are above average on many things like attractiveness, intelligence and social skills
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller saraoates. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.