Attribution Theory and Person Perception - AP Psychology

1. What is social categorization?

   The classification of people into groups. Mental organization that simplifies social information processing.

2. What is the outgroup homogeneity effect?

   Perceiving outgroup members as more similar than ingroup members. Tendency to see less diversity in groups we don't belong to.

3. What is the role of nonverbal cues in person perception?

   Nonverbal cues influence judgments about others' emotions and intentions. Body language and facial expressions provide information beyond verbal communication.

4. Define 'situational attribution.'

   Attributing behavior to external, environmental factors. Focuses on context rather than personality as the cause of behavior.

5. What is the role of consistency information in attributions?

   It evaluates if behavior is consistent across time. Examines whether the person always acts this way.

6. What is the effect of first impressions on person perception?

   First impressions often have a lasting impact. The primacy effect makes initial judgments resistant to change.

7. How does the just-world hypothesis influence attributions?

   It leads to blaming victims for their misfortunes. Maintains belief in a fair world by attributing suffering to personal failings.

8. How does cognitive dissonance affect person perception?

   It may cause a change in perception to reduce discomfort. We may adjust our perceptions to maintain psychological consistency.

9. What is the role of consensus information in attributions?

   It helps determine if behavior is typical or unusual. Compares behavior to what most people would do in the situation.

10. How does emotion influence person perception?

    Emotions can color our judgments and perceptions. Mood affects whether we focus on positive or negative traits.

11. Define 'illusory correlation.'

    The perception of a relationship where none exists. A false perception of association between unrelated variables.

12. Define 'implicit personality theory.'

    Beliefs about how different traits and behaviors relate. Assumptions about personality traits that tend to occur together in people.

13. Identify an example of a situational attribution.

    Blaming a delay on traffic rather than poor time management. External circumstances, not personal characteristics, explain the behavior.

14. How does confirmation bias affect person perception?

    It leads to emphasizing information that confirms existing beliefs. We notice and remember information that supports our existing beliefs.

15. Define 'ingroup bias.'

    The favoring of one's own group over others. Preference for members of one's own social group over outsiders.

16. What is the fundamental attribution error?

    Overemphasizing dispositional factors over situational factors. A cognitive bias where we underestimate situational influences on others' behavior.

17. What is person perception?

    The process of forming impressions of others. How we develop mental representations of others based on available information.

18. What is the self-serving bias?

    Attributing successes to internal factors and failures to external factors. A cognitive bias that protects self-esteem through selective attribution.

19. Define 'self-fulfilling prophecy.'

    Expectations about a person lead them to act in ways that confirm the expectations. Expectations become reality through behavioral confirmation processes.

20. What does the actor-observer bias refer to?

    Attributing others' actions to disposition and our own to situational factors. We judge ourselves by our circumstances but others by their character.

21. How does social categorization affect person perception?

    It simplifies processing but may lead to stereotyping. Efficient but can lead to inaccurate generalizations about groups.

22. Define 'dispositional attribution.'

    Attributing behavior to internal, personal traits. Focuses on personality and character as the cause of behavior.

23. Identify an example of a dispositional attribution.

    Assuming someone is lazy because they missed a deadline. Personal characteristics, not circumstances, explain the behavior.

24. What is the role of culture in attribution styles?

    Different cultures emphasize situational vs. dispositional attributions. Individualistic cultures emphasize personality while collectivistic emphasize context.

25. What is cognitive dissonance?

    The discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. Mental discomfort that motivates attitude or perception changes for consistency.

26. What theory examines how people explain their own and others' behaviors?

    Attribution theory. Developed by Fritz Heider to understand how people make causal explanations.

27. What role do schemas play in person perception?

    Schemas guide expectations and interpretations of others. Mental frameworks that organize information and shape our perceptions of others.

28. What is the halo effect in person perception?

    The tendency for an impression in one area to influence another. One positive trait creates an overall positive impression of a person.

29. What is the role of distinctiveness information in attributions?

    It assesses whether behavior is specific to a situation. Determines if the person acts differently in other situations.

30. What is the just-world hypothesis?

    The belief that people get what they deserve. A cognitive bias that assumes fairness in life outcomes.

31. Define 'stereotype.'

    A generalized belief about a group of people. Oversimplified beliefs that may not reflect individual differences.

32. What is the role of motivation in person perception?

    Motivation can influence how thoroughly we process information. High motivation leads to more careful, detailed processing of information.

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