Attribution Processes and Attribution Errors (8B) - MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations
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What is a situational (external) attribution?
What is a situational (external) attribution?
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Explaining behavior by context, environment, or circumstances. Focuses on external factors rather than internal personality traits.
Explaining behavior by context, environment, or circumstances. Focuses on external factors rather than internal personality traits.
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Identify the concept: Assuming a robbery victim was careless because “bad things happen for a reason.”
Identify the concept: Assuming a robbery victim was careless because “bad things happen for a reason.”
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Just-world hypothesis. Blaming victims helps maintain belief in fairness.
Just-world hypothesis. Blaming victims helps maintain belief in fairness.
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What is the just-world hypothesis?
What is the just-world hypothesis?
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Belief that people get outcomes they deserve; world is fundamentally fair. Helps maintain sense of control and predictability.
Belief that people get outcomes they deserve; world is fundamentally fair. Helps maintain sense of control and predictability.
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Identify the bias: You blame your poor grade on a hard test, not your studying.
Identify the bias: You blame your poor grade on a hard test, not your studying.
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Self-serving bias. Protects self-esteem by attributing failure externally.
Self-serving bias. Protects self-esteem by attributing failure externally.
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Identify the error: A cashier is curt during a rush, and you conclude they are unfriendly.
Identify the error: A cashier is curt during a rush, and you conclude they are unfriendly.
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Correspondence bias. Ignoring situational pressure (rush) when judging personality.
Correspondence bias. Ignoring situational pressure (rush) when judging personality.
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What is the correspondence bias (correspondent inference theory) in attribution?
What is the correspondence bias (correspondent inference theory) in attribution?
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Inferring stable traits from behavior, even when situational constraints exist. Tendency to assume behavior reflects personality despite constraints.
Inferring stable traits from behavior, even when situational constraints exist. Tendency to assume behavior reflects personality despite constraints.
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Identify the attribution: Only this restaurant makes you sick, and it happens every visit.
Identify the attribution: Only this restaurant makes you sick, and it happens every visit.
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Situational (external) attribution. High distinctiveness (only this place) suggests external cause.
Situational (external) attribution. High distinctiveness (only this place) suggests external cause.
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In Kelley’s model, which pattern best supports a situational attribution?
In Kelley’s model, which pattern best supports a situational attribution?
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High consensus, high distinctiveness, high consistency. Everyone reacts similarly to this specific situation.
High consensus, high distinctiveness, high consistency. Everyone reacts similarly to this specific situation.
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In Kelley’s model, which pattern best supports a dispositional attribution?
In Kelley’s model, which pattern best supports a dispositional attribution?
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Low consensus, low distinctiveness, high consistency. Person acts uniquely across situations consistently.
Low consensus, low distinctiveness, high consistency. Person acts uniquely across situations consistently.
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What does Kelley’s covariation model propose about causal attributions?
What does Kelley’s covariation model propose about causal attributions?
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People infer cause from consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency. Three factors help determine internal vs external causes.
People infer cause from consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency. Three factors help determine internal vs external causes.
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Identify the error: “They failed because they are lazy; we failed because the test was unfair.”
Identify the error: “They failed because they are lazy; we failed because the test was unfair.”
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Ultimate attribution error. Shows in-group favoritism in causal explanations.
Ultimate attribution error. Shows in-group favoritism in causal explanations.
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What is the ultimate attribution error?
What is the ultimate attribution error?
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Group-based FAE: outgroup negatives internal, outgroup positives external. Extends FAE to intergroup contexts with in-group favoritism.
Group-based FAE: outgroup negatives internal, outgroup positives external. Extends FAE to intergroup contexts with in-group favoritism.
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Identify the bias: A well-dressed applicant is judged as more competent without evidence.
Identify the bias: A well-dressed applicant is judged as more competent without evidence.
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Halo effect. Appearance creates positive impression affecting other judgments.
Halo effect. Appearance creates positive impression affecting other judgments.
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What is the halo effect in impression formation?
What is the halo effect in impression formation?
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A global positive impression biases ratings of specific traits. One positive trait influences perception of all traits.
A global positive impression biases ratings of specific traits. One positive trait influences perception of all traits.
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Identify the bias: You call yourself “stressed” for snapping, but call others “rude.”
Identify the bias: You call yourself “stressed” for snapping, but call others “rude.”
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Actor-observer bias. You know your stress context but not theirs.
Actor-observer bias. You know your stress context but not theirs.
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What is the actor-observer bias?
What is the actor-observer bias?
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Self: situational causes; others: dispositional causes for the same act. We have more info about our own situations than others'.
Self: situational causes; others: dispositional causes for the same act. We have more info about our own situations than others'.
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What is the self-serving bias?
What is the self-serving bias?
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Attributing successes internally and failures externally. Protects self-esteem and maintains positive self-image.
Attributing successes internally and failures externally. Protects self-esteem and maintains positive self-image.
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What is the fundamental attribution error?
What is the fundamental attribution error?
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Overattributing others’ behavior to disposition and underweighting situation. We underestimate how situations influence others' actions.
Overattributing others’ behavior to disposition and underweighting situation. We underestimate how situations influence others' actions.
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What is a dispositional (internal) attribution?
What is a dispositional (internal) attribution?
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Explaining behavior by stable traits, motives, or personality. Focuses on internal factors like character rather than external factors.
Explaining behavior by stable traits, motives, or personality. Focuses on internal factors like character rather than external factors.
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What is attribution in social psychology?
What is attribution in social psychology?
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Assigning causes to behavior and events (internal or external). Process of determining why events occur or people act certain ways.
Assigning causes to behavior and events (internal or external). Process of determining why events occur or people act certain ways.
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Identify the error: You see a rude cashier and conclude they are a rude person, ignoring a long line.
Identify the error: You see a rude cashier and conclude they are a rude person, ignoring a long line.
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Fundamental attribution error. Ignoring situational pressures when judging others' behavior.
Fundamental attribution error. Ignoring situational pressures when judging others' behavior.
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Identify the bias: You ace an exam and say it was intelligence; you fail and blame unfair questions.
Identify the bias: You ace an exam and say it was intelligence; you fail and blame unfair questions.
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Self-serving bias. Attributing success internally and failure externally protects ego.
Self-serving bias. Attributing success internally and failure externally protects ego.
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Identify the attribution: You cut someone off because you were late; you say it was due to traffic.
Identify the attribution: You cut someone off because you were late; you say it was due to traffic.
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Situational attribution (actor–observer pattern). Actors attribute their own behavior to situations, not personality.
Situational attribution (actor–observer pattern). Actors attribute their own behavior to situations, not personality.
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What are Kelley’s three cues used to infer causes of behavior?
What are Kelley’s three cues used to infer causes of behavior?
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Consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency. Kelley's covariation model uses these to determine attribution type.
Consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency. Kelley's covariation model uses these to determine attribution type.
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What does the augmentation principle state in attribution theory?
What does the augmentation principle state in attribution theory?
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Behavior despite obstacles implies a stronger internal cause. Acting despite constraints suggests strong internal motivation.
Behavior despite obstacles implies a stronger internal cause. Acting despite constraints suggests strong internal motivation.
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What does the discounting principle state in attribution theory?
What does the discounting principle state in attribution theory?
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Multiple plausible causes reduce weight of any single cause. When multiple causes exist, each seems less important.
Multiple plausible causes reduce weight of any single cause. When multiple causes exist, each seems less important.
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What is the correspondence bias?
What is the correspondence bias?
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Assuming behavior reflects stable disposition despite context. Another term for fundamental attribution error.
Assuming behavior reflects stable disposition despite context. Another term for fundamental attribution error.
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What is the false consensus effect?
What is the false consensus effect?
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Overestimating how much others share one’s beliefs/acts. We think our views/behaviors are more common than they are.
Overestimating how much others share one’s beliefs/acts. We think our views/behaviors are more common than they are.
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What is the confirmation bias as it relates to attributions?
What is the confirmation bias as it relates to attributions?
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Seeking/weighting info that supports an initial attribution. We favor evidence that confirms our initial causal judgment.
Seeking/weighting info that supports an initial attribution. We favor evidence that confirms our initial causal judgment.
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What is the halo effect in attribution and impression formation?
What is the halo effect in attribution and impression formation?
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One positive trait biases global evaluation of a person. Initial positive impression colors all subsequent judgments.
One positive trait biases global evaluation of a person. Initial positive impression colors all subsequent judgments.
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