Attribution Theory and Person Perception

Explanatory style

• A method of explaining scientific theories

• How people explain good and bad events in their lives and in the lives of others. Explanatory style can be optimistic or pessimistic.

• A psychological term for cognitive dissonance

• A style of writing that explains complex ideas simply.

Actor/observer bias

• A tendency to attribute other people's actions to their personality or character, while attributing one's own actions to external factors.

• A tendency to overestimate the influence of situational factors on one's own behavior.

• A bias that leads individuals to believe that their actions are always justified regardless of the situation.

• A phenomenon where individuals perceive their own actions as more favorable than those of others.

Situational attributions

• Relate to internal traits and characteristics.

• Relate to external circumstances that are experienced.

• Are based on personal beliefs and values.

• Are influenced by social norms and expectations.

Internal locus of control

• The belief that one can control their own fate.

• The belief that fate is determined by external forces.

• The belief that success is solely due to luck.

• The belief that others control one's destiny.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

• A phenomenon where people act in ways that confirm their beliefs about themselves or others.

• A psychological effect where individuals are unaware of their biases.

• A situation where external factors completely dictate behavior.

• A theory that suggests all behaviors are learned through conditioning.

Relative deprivation

• The feeling of satisfaction when people believe they have more than they deserve.

• The feeling of dissatisfaction when people believe they are deprived of something they deserve, especially when comparing themselves to others who are perceived to be better off.

• The belief that one is entitled to more than what they currently have, regardless of others' situations.

• The perception that one's situation is worse than it actually is, leading to feelings of contentment.

Self-serving bias

• Crediting your own successes to disposition, but attributing your own failures to situation.

• Believing that external factors are responsible for your successes and internal factors for your failures.

• Attributing your successes to luck and your failures to hard work.

• Recognizing that both successes and failures are due to a combination of internal and external factors.

Dispositional attributions

• Relate to internal qualities of others (such as intelligence or personality).

• Are based on external factors such as environment or situation.

• Refer to the influence of social norms on behavior.

• Involve the assessment of group dynamics.

Social comparison

• A type of person perception that occurs when people evaluate themselves based on comparisons to other members of society or social circles.

• A method of evaluating one's self-worth based on financial success compared to others.

• A psychological phenomenon where individuals seek validation through social media likes and shares.

• A cognitive bias that leads individuals to overestimate their abilities compared to others.

Mere exposure effect

• Individuals show an increased preference for a stimulus due to repeated exposure.

• Individuals develop a dislike for a stimulus after seeing it multiple times.

• Individuals are more likely to forget a stimulus after repeated exposure.

• Individuals show no change in preference regardless of exposure.