Attribution Theory Study Guide: AP Psychology Exam Prep

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🍎 Attribution Theory: This theory explains how we interpret and understand the causes of events and behaviors. Think of it as our brain's way of figuring out "why" things happen.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Fritz Heider: Heider is considered the father of Attribution Theory. He proposed that we attribute behavior to either internal (dispositional) or external (situational) causes.
• 🧠 Internal (Dispositional) Attribution: Explaining behavior based on someone's personality, traits, or motives. For example, "She failed the test because she's not smart."
• 🌍 External (Situational) Attribution: Explaining behavior based on the situation or environment. For example, "She failed the test because it was too difficult."
• 🤝 Fundamental Attribution Error: The tendency to overestimate the role of dispositional factors and underestimate the role of situational factors when explaining others' behavior. We often blame people's character instead of considering their circumstances.
• 🎭 Actor-Observer Bias: The tendency to attribute our own behavior to situational causes and the behavior of others to dispositional causes. "I failed because the test was hard, but she failed because she's lazy."
• ✅ Self-Serving Bias: The tendency to take credit for our successes (internal attribution) and blame external factors for our failures (external attribution). "I passed because I'm smart, but I failed because the teacher is bad."
• 🔑 Kelley's Covariation Model: This model suggests we consider consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus when making attributions.
  • 📈 Consistency: Does this person usually behave this way in this situation?
  • 🎯 Distinctiveness: Does this person behave differently in different situations?
  • 🧑‍⚖️ Consensus: Do other people behave similarly in this situation?

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following BEST describes the fundamental attribution error?
   1. A. Overemphasizing situational factors in explaining others' behavior.
   2. B. Overemphasizing dispositional factors in explaining others' behavior.
   3. C. Accurately assessing both situational and dispositional factors.
   4. D. Ignoring both situational and dispositional factors.
2. According to Heider's Attribution Theory, what are the two main types of attributions people make?
   1. A. Logical and emotional
   2. B. Internal and external
   3. C. Conscious and unconscious
   4. D. Positive and negative
3. The actor-observer bias leads us to attribute our own behavior to _____ factors and others' behavior to _____ factors.
   1. A. Dispositional; situational
   2. B. Situational; dispositional
   3. C. Emotional; logical
   4. D. Logical; emotional
4. What is the self-serving bias?
   1. A. Taking blame for successes and attributing failures to internal factors.
   2. B. Taking credit for successes and attributing failures to external factors.
   3. C. Accurately assessing one's own strengths and weaknesses.
   4. D. Downplaying one's own achievements to appear humble.
5. Which of Kelley's covariation principles refers to whether a person behaves similarly in different situations?
   1. A. Consensus
   2. B. Consistency
   3. C. Distinctiveness
   4. D. Stability
6. If a student fails a test and blames the teacher for being unfair, this is an example of what?
   1. A. Fundamental Attribution Error
   2. B. Self-Serving Bias
   3. C. Actor-Observer Bias
   4. D. Just-World Hypothesis
7. If everyone laughs at a comedian's joke (high consensus), the behavior is MOSTLY attributed to:
   1. A. The comedian's talent (internal)
   2. B. The situation (external)
   3. C. The audience's mood (internal)
   4. D. The comedian's appearance (external)