PSYC 1101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Fundamental Attribution Error, Dispositional Attribution, Cognitive Dissonance
Document Summary
How we think in relation to others. How others influence our thinking and our actions. How we treat each other and relate to each other. Personality psychologists study traits that affect behaviors, social psychologists study how environments and situations affect behaviors. Attribution- a conclusion about the cause of an observed behavior/event. Attribution theory- explain others" behaviors with two types of attribution. Situational attribution- factors outside the person causing the action (e. g. peer pressure) Dispositional attribution- the person"s stable, enduring traits causing the action. Fundamental attribution error- we go too far in assuming that a person"s behavior is caused by their personality. In western cultures: overemphasize dispositional attribution and underemphasize situational attribution. In collectivist cultures: overemphasize situational attribution and underemphasize dispositional attribution. Attitude- feelings, ideas, and beliefs that affect how we approach and react to other. Reverse this when discussing our own behaviors in both cultures people, objects, and events.