Attribution Theory and Errors

The video tutorial introduces the concept of attribution in social psychology, explaining how people infer the causes of behavior. It distinguishes between dispositional (internal) and situational (external) attributions, providing examples to illustrate these concepts. The tutorial also discusses the fundamental attribution error, where people tend to overemphasize dispositional factors over situational ones, supported by studies like the Jones and Harris experiment. The video concludes by highlighting how these biases affect our interpretation of behavior.

What is the primary focus of attribution in social psychology?

• Predicting future behavior

• Explaining how people should behave

• Understanding how people explain behavior

• Understanding the real causes of behavior

What is a dispositional attribution?

• An explanation based on societal norms

• An explanation based on random events

• An explanation based on internal characteristics

• An explanation based on external circumstances

Which of the following is an example of a situational attribution?

• He is bowling because he is competitive

• He is bowling because he is skilled

• He is bowling because his friends made him

• He is bowling because he likes it

What is the fundamental attribution error?

• Overestimating situational influences

• Underestimating dispositional influences

• Overestimating dispositional influences

• Underestimating the importance of behavior

In the Jones and Harris study, what were participants asked to read?

• Articles about fundamental attribution error

• Essays arguing for or against Fidel Castro

• Reports on situational influences

• Books about social psychology

What did the Jones and Harris study reveal about people's attributions?

• People always make situational attributions

• People never make dispositional attributions

• People are rational in their attributions

• People ignore situational influences even when they are clear

How did participants in the Jones and Harris study judge the authors of the essays?

• Based on the author's background

• Based on the author's choice of topic

• Based on the essay's content regardless of choice

• Based on the author's writing style

What is an example of a real-world attribution error involving actors?

• Judging an actor's appearance based on their movies

• Judging an actor's personality based on their role

• Judging an actor's skills based on their awards

• Judging an actor's popularity based on their social media

Why might people think Leonard Nimoy is like Spock?

• Because of his personal interviews

• Because he directed the show

• Because he wrote the script

• Because of the fundamental attribution error

What overall tendency do people have when making attributions?

• They consider all possible influences equally

• They focus more on dispositional influences

• They ignore both situational and dispositional influences

• They focus more on situational influences