Lecture 8. Attribution theories

Determining Why People Do the Things They Do

Why are attitudes consistent with behaviors sometimes but not others

Interpreting Ambiguous Arousal

Assessing Intention

Principle of Covariation

Specific Kinds of Attribution Biases

1. Fundamental Attribution Error

-perceptual salience

-anchoring and adjustment

-distraction

2. Actor-Observer Difference

-perceptual salience

-information

3. False Consensus effect

4. Self-serving bias

5. Ego-centric Biases