4.1 Vocab_Attribution Theory and Person Perception

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Attribution Theory

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The psychological concept that explains how individuals determine the causes of behavior—whether their own or others—by attributing them to internal (dispositional) or external (situational) factors.

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Dispositional Attribution

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The tendency to explain behavior as resulting from internal traits, personality, or abilities rather than external circumstances.

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Situational Attribution

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The tendency to explain behavior based on external factors, such as the environment, luck, or situational pressures, rather than personal traits.

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Explanatory Style

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A habitual way of explaining life events, which can be optimistic (seeing setbacks as temporary and external) or pessimistic (viewing failures as permanent and personal).

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Fundamental Attribution Error

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The tendency to overemphasize dispositional factors and underestimate situational influences when explaining others’ behaviors.

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Actor-Observer Bias

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The tendency to attribute our own negative behaviors to external situations while attributing others’ negative behaviors to internal dispositions.

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Self-Serving Bias

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A cognitive bias where people attribute their successes to internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) and failures to external factors (e.g., bad luck, unfair circumstances).

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Locus of Control

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A belief system about the extent to which individuals feel they have control over the outcomes of events in their lives.

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Internal Locus of Control

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The belief that one’s actions and decisions directly influence outcomes, leading to a greater sense of personal responsibility and motivation.

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External Locus of Control

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The belief that outcomes are determined by external factors such as fate, luck, or powerful others, often leading to decreased motivation and personal accountability.