Attributions Lecture 3 Social

The Naive Scientist

1. Need coherent view of world/motives/antropromorphism
 > Heider and Simmel (94) describing movement in terms of geometric shapes

2. Need control over envi- search for properties that cause behaviour 

3. Need to ID internal/personal (dispositional attributions) vs external/situ (situational attributions)
Only infer internal if no external presented

Use rational/C&E analysis to understand world 

Assign causal role to factors

It takes multiple observations to identify factors that co-vary with behaviour 

Whether these behaviours are internal or external is key 

1. CONSISTENCY- does behaviour always occur with cause?
If low= discount and look for different cause. If high= must be linked 

2. DISTINCTIVENESS- behaviour exclusively linked or common reaction?
If low= internal attribution. If high= attribute to external cause

3. CONSENSUS- do others react in a similar way in that situation?
High > strengthens attribution to external cause, low= internal 

Method requires multiple observations
Causal schemata > experience based beliefs about how certain types of behaviour produce effect 
Have multiple necessary cause schemata e.g. drink driving- car and alcohol 

Correspondent inference- causal attribution of behaviour underlying dispositions 
e.g. friendly action due to friendly nature= predictable, therefore feel more control
Acts reflect true characteristic of a person. If behaviour is unusual= more insightful 

5 cues?

1. FREELY CHOSEN- tells more than behaviour controlled by another (threats etc)

2. NON-COMMON EFFECTS- exclusive behaviours in specific situs tell more than typical behaviour. Outcome of behaviour chosen by person who chose behaviour= outcome bias. More outcomes, the more we find out 

3. NOT SOCIALLY DESIRABLE- counter-normative

4. HEDONIC RELEVANCE- important direct consequences on self. More confident inferences when behaviour is self-orientated 

5. PERSONALISM- behaviour appearing directly intended to benefit/harm oneself rather than others is high in personalism 

cycle of...
expectations > performance (success/failure) > feelings (+/-) > attributions > speicific emotions e.g. pride 

Causality of success/failure
Locus of control- internal/external
Stability- natural ability/mood
Controllability- effort/luck 

Role of emotions shaping our attributions/how we behave in future 

Extended to make judgements of responsibility 

Individual differences influence attributional style > predisposition to make a certain type of causal attribution 

Differ control over reun/pun received 

Internals= signif control, externals= fatalistic 

See own behaviour as more typical than it is 

Think others will behave in same way as you because tend to mix with those who share your opinion 

Salience of own opinion

Ross (1977) would you walk around campus to advertise cafeteria. If said yes assumed another 62% would say yes 

If said no assumed another 67% would say no 

Effect stronger for beliefs that are important to us 

Tendency to attribute behaviour to enduring dispositions even when there are situational causes

Ross (1977) Knowledgable quiz master
Set contestents tough questions to answer in front of audience > all audience rated quiz master as more knowledgable

WHY? 
Focus of attention/saliency effect > target most salient (think of person not of situation).
Internal attribution more accessible 
Tendency to forget situational causes= dispositional shift/ differential forgetting

Also known as CORRESPONDENCE BIAS- tendency to see behaviour as reflecting stable, underlying personality attributes

More likely in individualist cultures

Make more attributions in late childhood 

Linguistics- adjectives in English to describe action and actor, therefore more dispositional attributions= second nature 

Look at someone-else's behaiour and make internal/dispositional attribution to their behaviour

When looking at ourselves more likely to attribute our behaviour to external/situational factors

Shop assistant rude > they are rude/stressed= internal/dispositional
If you are rude to them > having a bad day= external 

WHY?

Perceptual focus- when considering self, background info is more salient so attribute situational factors

Informational difference (we know what we are normally like) so know what is part of our normal character and what is a factor of environment/situation 

Moderators? Positive behaviour means dispositional attributions are more likely 

Success= internal (I am smart), failure= external (the paper was hard)

Kingdon (1976) US politics- hard work/good links if elected, not enough money in campaign/not well liked if not elected 

Self-enhancing bias- taking credit for success (common)
Self-protecting bias- denial of responsibility for failure 

Process encourages internal attributions. WHY?

Expectations and SE
Cognitive: intend/expect success- attribute internal causes to expected events
Motivational: maintenance of SE

Operates at group level too e.g. your team won because they are good, lost because of pitch conditions/bad refereeing