Lecture on Attribution in Psychology

Introduction to Psychology and Behavior

• Psychology is a field that fascinates many as it seeks to understand human behavior.
• Humans often try to explain the behaviors of others, including friends, family, partners, and strangers.
• This process of understanding behavior is known as attribution.

What is Attribution?

• Attribution refers to how people explain behavior and the mistakes they make in doing so.
• Understanding attribution can be as insightful as the behavior explanations themselves.

Types of Attribution

1. Dispositional Attribution (Internal):
   • Behavior is driven by internal factors.
   • Example: Crying due to emotional instability.
2. Situational Attribution (External):
   • Behavior is driven by external factors.
   • Example: Crying due to a traumatic event.

• Attribution focuses on how conclusions about behavior are reached.

Actor-Observer Bias

• We are more likely to use internal or external attribution based on whether we are performing or observing behavior.

Correspondent Inference Theory

• Developed by Jones and Davis, focuses on dispositional attribution.
• Internal attribution is more likely if:
  • The person acted freely and intentionally.
  • Behavior is unusual, directed at others, or harms/helps others.
• Example: Street harassment attributed to the harasser's character.

Kelley’s Covariation Model

• Developed by Harold Kelley in 1973.
• Suggests three factors to determine attribution:
  1. Consensus:
     • Behavior of others in the same situation.
     • High consensus if others behave similarly.
  2. Distinctiveness:
     • Individual’s behavior in similar situations.
     • High if the behavior is unusual for the individual.
  3. Consistency:
     • Individual’s behavior across time.
     • High if the behavior is consistent over time.
• Example: Ordering expensive champagne explained by friend's behavior patterns.
• High or low levels in these factors lead to different attributions about personality or external factors.

Application and Limitations

• The model is less applicable to strangers.
• Past experiences and necessary causes are used for strangers.

Importance of Understanding Attribution

• Understanding attribution helps in refining judgments about others' behaviors.

Conclusion

• Overview of attribution theory, correspondent inference theory, and Kelley’s covariation model.
• Invitation for questions and further exploration in related videos.