Chapter 4: Perceiving Persons Part 2: Sept. 19, 2011

Attributions Attribution = explanation about a behavior – Heider – personal vs. situational – Attribution theories: 1. Jones – Correspondent Inference theory: – Infer from action : 1.Did the person have a choice? 2.Was the behavior expected? 3.How many positive effects were there?

Attribution Theories (cont.) 2) Kelly’s Covariation theory: – Attribute behavior to internal (person) or external (situation) based on 3 questions – 1. Consensus 2. Distinctiveness 3. Consistency See fig 4.4

If low distinctiveness & low consensus, but high consistency, which attribution? – Example? If high distinctiveness & high consensus, but low consistency, which attribution? – Example?

Attribution Biases What are heuristics? – 1. Availability heuristic Can lead to false consensus Can lead to baserate fallacy

Linked to counterfactual thinking – Regret over what we might have done – Olympic results example: 2) Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE): – What is it? – 2-step model:

Examples & Sources of the FAE Example – Sources of FAE: – 1) Actor-observer difference. What is it? – 2) Time perspective – – 3) Cultural differences –

Motivational Biases Self-serving biases – Influence of need for self-esteem – Belief in a just world

Impression Formation How do we integrate information to form impressions? Common deviations from rules: – Perceiver characteristics – Priming effects – Target characteristics