Attribution Theory and Biases

The video explores attribution theory, focusing on dispositional versus situational attributions. It discusses the fundamental attribution error, where people default to dispositional explanations. Dan Gilbert's correction model is introduced, highlighting three stages of attribution. An experiment by Gilbert, Pelham, and Krull demonstrates this model. The actor-observer effect is explained, showing how people attribute others' actions to disposition but their own to situations. Self-serving attribution is also covered, where individuals credit successes to themselves and blame failures on external factors.

What is the fundamental attribution error?

• The tendency to ignore all external influences.

• The tendency to attribute all behaviors to situational factors.

• The tendency to attribute others' behaviors to their personality.

• The tendency to attribute one's own behavior to situational factors.

According to Dan Gilbert's correction model, what is the first stage of attribution?

• Revising the attribution to consider situational factors.

• Identifying the behavior.

• Ignoring the behavior.

• Making a situational attribution by default.

In the experiment by Gilbert, Pelham, and Krull, what was manipulated to test the correction model?

• The location of the experiment.

• The age of the participants.

• The topic of conversation and cognitive load.

• The gender of the participants.

How does cognitive load affect the ability to consider situational factors in attributions?

• It has no effect on attribution processes.

• It only affects attributions for positive behaviors.

• It enhances the ability to consider situational factors.

• It reduces the ability to consider situational factors.

What happens when people are not distracted and can think fully about a situation?

• They make random attributions.

• They ignore all attributions.

• They are more likely to make situational attributions.

• They are more likely to make dispositional attributions.

What is the actor-observer effect?

• The tendency to ignore all attributions.

• The tendency to attribute others' behaviors to dispositional factors and one's own to situational factors.

• The tendency to attribute one's own behaviors to dispositional factors.

• The tendency to attribute others' behaviors to situational factors.

What is a self-serving attribution?

• Attributing successes to internal factors and failures to external factors.

• Attributing all outcomes to others' actions.

• Attributing successes to external factors and failures to internal factors.

• Attributing all outcomes to chance.

Why do people tend to make self-serving attributions?

• To avoid responsibility.

• To confuse others.

• To gain social approval.

• To maintain a positive self-image.

What is the main takeaway regarding how people attribute their own actions versus others'?

• People are more likely to attribute others' actions to situational factors.

• People never consider situational factors in any attributions.

• People are more likely to attribute their own actions to dispositional factors.

• People are more likely to account for external influences in their own actions than in others'.

What is the purpose of making self-serving attributions?

• To confuse others.

• To protect self-esteem.

• To gain social approval.

• To avoid making any attributions.