SOCI 2P00 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Fundamental Attribution Error
Document Summary
A rival cause is a plausible alternative explanation that can explain why a certain outcome occurred. Indicators of causal relations: x leads to. , x influences. , x is linked to. , x deters. , x increases the likelihood. , x determines. , x is associated with. , x has the effect of Detecting rival causes can help us better react to causal conclusions encountered in. : a) our everyday personal relationships, b) past or ongoing world events, c) results of research studies. Many kinds of events are open to explanation by rival causes. Experts can examine the same evidence and discover different causes to explain it. Most communicators will provide you with only their favoured causes; the critical reader or listener must generate rival causes. Generating rival causes is a creative process; usually, such causes will not be obvious. The certainty of a particular causal claim is inversely related to the number of plausible rival causes.
