PSYCH 10 Chapter Notes - Chapter assigned reading: Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder, Philippe Pinel, Dysthymia
Document Summary
Social psychology: the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another. Attribution theory: the theory that we explain someone"s behavior by crediting the situation or the person"s disposition. When certain things occur, we like to understand and explain why people act the way they do or do the things they do. Fundamental attribution error: the tendency for observers, when analyzing others" behavior to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of someone"s disposition: overestimate personality and underestimate situation. The fundamental attribution error occurs more often in some cultures than in others. The way we explain others" actions, attributing them to the person or the situation, can have real life effects. There are social and economic factors to attribution: blaming a person"s disposition of their poorness or wealth on their personality. People believe that people get what they deserve.
