If behavior is assumed to be caused by external...

Key Concepts

Attribution Theory

Attribution theory is the study of how people explain the causes of behavior and events. It involves determining whether actions are the result of internal dispositions, such as personality traits or attitudes, or external situational factors. This theory is central to understanding human behavior in social psychology and helps explain differences in perspective between observers and actors.

Situational Attribution

Situational attribution refers to the process of assigning the cause of behavior to external factors rather than to a person's internal traits. When behavior is explained by the circumstances or context surrounding an event, it is considered a situational cause. This perspective is crucial for understanding how environmental factors influence actions and how perceptions of behavior may vary depending on contextual cues.

Dispositional Attribution

Dispositional attribution is the tendency to attribute behavior to internal characteristics such as personality traits, attitudes, or inherent dispositions. This approach contrasts with situational attribution and is often used to explain why individuals act in certain ways, based on their perceived stable and enduring internal qualities.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Fundamental attribution error is a common cognitive bias where people overemphasize internal, dispositional factors when explaining someone else’s behavior, while underestimating the role of external situational influences. This error can lead to misunderstandings about the true causes of behavior, particularly in interpersonal contexts.

Actor-Observer Bias

Actor-observer bias refers to the tendency for individuals to attribute their own actions to situational factors while attributing others’ behaviors to their personal dispositions. This bias arises because people have access to more contextual information about their own actions, influencing how they make attributions compared to the way they judge others.

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