Introduction to Social Psychology

According to the material on Attribution Theory, which dimension contrasts believing outcomes come from personal factors with believing they come from outside circumstances?

• Stability

• Locus of control

• Controllability

• Cognitive dissonance

Which pairing correctly matches an attribution dimension with its poles as described: stability (consistent vs. changing), controllability (yes vs. no), and locus of control (internal vs. external)?

• Stability: controllable vs. uncontrollable; Controllability: internal vs. external; Locus of control: consistent vs. changing

• Stability: consistent vs. changing; Controllability: yes vs. no; Locus of control: internal vs. external

• Stability: internal vs. external; Controllability: consistent vs. changing; Locus of control: yes vs. no

• Stability: fixed vs. flexible; Controllability: effort vs. ability; Locus of control: individual vs. group

A teacher says, "So late! Lazy bum!" after a student turns in a late assignment. Based on the notes on applying Attribution Theory to others, what type of explanation is the teacher using?

• Situational attribution, focusing on environmental constraints

• Dispositional attribution, focusing on internal traits

• Interactionist attribution, blending situational and dispositional causes

• Self-serving bias, protecting one's self-esteem

Which statement best reflects the Fundamental Attribution Error as described?

• People in all cultures primarily blame situations when judging others' behavior.

• In the U.S., people often overemphasize internal traits and underemphasize situational factors when judging others.

• Collectivist cultures are more prone to dispositional attributions than individualistic cultures.

• The error occurs only when judging our own behavior, not others'.

A friend misses a meeting. Which inference aligns with a situational attribution emphasized in social psychology?

• They are irresponsible because they never plan ahead.

• They lacked willpower, showing a stable character flaw.

• There may have been constraints, such as a family emergency or transit delay.

• Their personality is unreliable across contexts.

Which statement best defines the actor–observer bias as depicted in the meeting illustration: when judging others’ lateness, people attribute it to internal traits, but when judging their own lateness, they attribute it to situational constraints?

• We explain both our own and others’ behavior mainly by external forces like traffic or weather.

• We attribute others’ behavior to internal causes but our own behavior to external, situational causes.

• We give equal weight to internal dispositions and external situations for everyone.

• We attribute our own behavior to stable traits while others’ behavior to unstable situations.

According to the description of self-serving bias, how are successes and failures typically explained?

• Successes are explained by external luck, and failures by internal lack of ability.

• Successes are explained by internal dispositions, and failures by external factors.

• Both successes and failures are explained by stable, uncontrollable causes.

• Successes and failures are both explained by situational pressures to protect group harmony.

Which option correctly matches each attribution dimension with a brief description used in attribution theory?

• Locus of control—how stable a cause is over time; Stability—whether the cause is internal or external; Controllability—whether the cause is unique to one situation.

• Locus of control—whether a cause is internal or external; Stability—whether a cause persists or changes; Controllability—whether the cause can be influenced.

• Locus of control—how much effort is required; Stability—how moral the cause is; Controllability—whether observers agree about the cause.

• Locus of control—genetic vs. learned; Stability—short vs. long term memory; Controllability—intentional vs. accidental action.

A hiring committee assumes a highly attractive applicant is also ethical, friendly, and intelligent. Which bias does this illustrate, and what reasoning error underlies it?

• Actor–observer bias; the committee treats its own judgments as situational.

• Self-serving bias; the committee protects its image after a poor decision.

• Halo effect; a positive impression in one domain spills over to unrelated traits.

• Fundamental attribution error; the committee overweights situational explanations.

DoK 1—Which statement best defines dispositional attribution when explaining another person’s behavior?

• Attributing behavior to enduring personality traits or motives

• Explaining behavior primarily by temporary external pressures

• Linking behavior to random chance without cause

• Assuming behavior is caused by biological reflexes only