ATTRIBUTION THEORY

Three questions can be asked to help determine

whether consensus, consistency and distinctiveness are high or low

• For consensus, ask

• Does -person- tend to -behavior-?

• For distinctiveness, ask

• Does the person always behave this way when -this particular situation-?

• For consistency, ask

• Do others engage in the same behavior?

Do others engage in the same behavior?

If yes consensus is ​ (a)  

If no consensus is ​ (b)  

• high
• low

“Does (person) always behave this way when (this particular situation)?

If yes consistency is ​ (a)  

If no consistency is ​ (b)  

• high
• low

“Does (person) always behave this way when (this particular situation)?"

If yes distinctiveness is ​ (a)  

If no distinctiveness is ​ (b)  

• high
• low

Suppose you are home for the weekend. You want to invite your friend Ralph to stay for dinner, but your

father says no. The question is whether your father refused as a result of internal causes or external

causes. Understanding the reasons for your father’s behavior requires information about three key variables: consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness. Use the terms below to answer the question.

• High consistency

• Dad is always rude to Ralph

• High consensus

• Most people dislike Ralph

• Low distinctiveness

• Dad is rude to all your friends

• Low consistency

• Most people like Ralph

• Low consensus

• Dad is rarely rude to Ralph

True or False: Attribution is basically how we explain other people's behaviors

• True

• False

Which of the following is NOT one of the three sources of covariation described by Kelley’s covariation theory?

•  Consensus 

• Free choice

• Distinctiveness

• Consistency

Shannon sees Stacey arguing with a store clerk about the price of an item. Shannon assumes that Stacey is aggressive.  Shannon’s attribution for Stacey’s behavior is an example of...

• dispositional attribution

• situational attribution

• external attribution

• the fundamental attribution error

Julia loves French food (escargots, coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, etc.) but she hates foie gras.  Her fellow foodie friends say foie gras is delicious, but every time she eats it, she finds it disgusting.  According to covariation theory, Julia’s behavior (hating foie gras) is _______ in consensus, _______ in distinctiveness, and ______ in consistency.

• high; low; high

• low; high; high

• low; low; high

• high; high; high

Colin and Erin are waiting to meet with their caterer so that they can discuss the menu for their wedding. The caterer is 30 minutes late and still hasn't arrived. Colin suggests that the caterer is probably delayed because of traffic. Erin suggests that the caterer is probably disorganized and unreliable. What kind of attribution is Erin making?

• a dispositional attribution

• a situational attribution

• a personal attribution

• a correspondent attribution