Kelley's Covariation Model and Attribution Theory

Introduction

• Kelley's Covariation Model (1967 by Harold Kelley) is a theory of attribution.
  • Explains how people determine the causes of behaviors, either of themselves or others.
  • Concept: People look at patterns of behavior across situations, people, and times to make attributions.

Kelley's Covariation Model

• Three Types of Information to Consider:

  1. Consensus:
     • Do others behave the same way in this situation?
     • High consensus: Many people behave similarly.
     • Low consensus: Few people behave similarly.
  2. Distinctiveness:
     • Does this person behave differently in different situations?
     • High distinctiveness: Behaves differently across situations.
     • Low distinctiveness: Behaves the same across situations.
  3. Consistency:
     • Does this person behave the same way over time in this situation?
     • High consistency: Behavior is the same every time.
     • Low consistency: Behavior differs over time.

• How It Works:

  • Combination of high/low consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency leads to different attributions.

  Consensus	Distinctiveness	Consistency	Likely Attribution
  High	High	High	External (situation)
  Low	Low	High	Internal (person's traits)
  Low/High	High/Low	Low	Circumstantial (unusual situation)

Examples

• Example 1: Alex Yelling

  • Situation: Alex yelling at a barista.
  • Low consensus, low distinctiveness, high consistency leads to an internal attribution (Alex is rude).

• Example 2: Sara Failing a Math Test

  • High consensus, high distinctiveness, high consistency leads to an external attribution (the test was hard or teaching was poor).

Applications in Real Life

• Workplace:
  • A boss uses the model to determine if an employee is late due to personal traits or external factors.
• Marketing:
  • Creating high consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency for positive product perceptions.
• Education:
  • Teachers use the model to understand if performance issues stem from student traits or teaching methods.

Attribution Theory

What is Attribution?

• Explains how people perceive the causes of behaviors and events.
• Helps understand, predict, and control the social environment.

Types of Attribution

1. Internal Attribution (Dispositional):
   • Traits, personality, or abilities cause behavior.
   • E.g., "She's late because she's irresponsible."
2. External Attribution (Situational):
   • Environmental factors cause behavior.
   • E.g., "She's late because of traffic."

Major Theories

1. Heider's Attribution Theory (1958):
   • People attribute behavior to internal or external factors.
2. Kelley's Covariation Model (1967):
   • Uses consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency for attributions.
3. Weiner's Attribution Theory (1985):
   • Includes dimensions like locus of control, stability, controllability.

Attribution Biases

1. Fundamental Attribution Error:
   • Overemphasize internal factors for others.
   • E.g., "They're rude" instead of "maybe they have an emergency."
2. Actor-Observer Bias:
   • Personal behaviors are explained situationally, others' are dispositional.
3. Self-Serving Bias:
   • Success is internal, failure is external.

Real Life Applications

• Education:
  • Attribution affects motivation (internal vs. external reasons for failure).
• Relationships:
  • Happy couples use external attributions for negative behaviors.
• Business:
  • Leaders balance external/internal attributions for accountability.
• Therapy:
  • Focus on changing negative attribution styles.