Causal Attribution Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Focus on biases in causal attribution when explaining others' behavior.

Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

• Definition: The tendency to overemphasize dispositional factors and underestimate situational factors in others' behaviors.
  • Example: Blaming a student as lazy for falling asleep in class without considering external issues (e.g., family problems, financial stress).
• How to Identify FAE: Blame characteristics rather than situational factors.
• Common Scenario: Observing someone arriving late to a meeting.
  • Quick negative judgments (e.g., "lazy") are easier than considering external factors (e.g., bad traffic).

Cultural Differences in FAE

• Collectivistic Cultures: Tend to consider situational factors more than dispositional factors.
• Research Insight: FAE is less prominent in collectivistic cultures but still applicable.

Reasons for FAE

1. Desire to Understand Behavior: We seek to predict future behavior based on observed traits.
2. Perceptual Salience: We focus on what is clear in our view, leading to internal attributions.
3. Lack of Situational Information: Observers may not be aware of situational circumstances affecting behavior.
4. Cognitive Load: FAE increases when distracted or busy with other tasks.

Dual Process Model of Attribution

• Automatic Thinking: Initial, quick dispositional attribution.
• Deliberative Thinking: Later consideration of situational factors, which requires cognitive effort.
  • Example: Judging someone as rude before considering their urgent situation.

Taylor and Fitts Study on FAE

• Participants observed two actors conversing.
• Findings: Observer positions influenced perceptions of conversational dominance due to visual focus.
  • Clears understanding of FAE in contextual perception.

Observer vs. Actor Bias

• Observer Bias: Tendency to make FAE for others' actions.
• Actor Bias: Tendency to attribute one's own behavior to situational factors.
  • Example: An actor blaming external situations for their failures but observers attributing those failures to the actor's character.

Self-Serving Bias

• Definition: Tendency to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors.
  • Example: Taking credit for good grades but blaming difficult tests for poor performance.
• Purpose: Enhances self-esteem and maintains a positive self-image.

Application in Organizational Behavior

• Attribution impacts reactions to abusive supervision in workplaces.
• Understanding attributional styles can influence employee behavior and job satisfaction.

Interventions for Understanding Causal Attribution

• Attribution-based treatments can help individuals with negative thinking patterns.
• Focus on identifying and correcting negative attribution styles to improve emotional well-being.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (SFP)

• Definition: Expectations about a person lead to behaviors that fulfill those expectations.
  • Example: Teacher's expectations influence student performance (Rosenthal & Jacobson study).
• Process: Perceiver's beliefs → Behaviors toward the target → Target's behavior aligns with the expectations.

Implications of SFP

• Positive Effects: High expectations can lead to improved performance (e.g., late bloomers).
• Negative Effects: Negative expectations can harm relationships and perceptions (e.g., assuming laziness).
• Self-Reflection: Recognizing one’s influence on others’ behaviors can lead to positive changes in interactions.

Final Thoughts

• Understanding biases in attribution can improve interpersonal relationships and self-awareness.
• Encouragement to keep questioning and exploring attribution concepts.