Chapter 3

• Attribution theory


  The theory of how people explain others' behavior, for example, by attributing it either to internal dispositions (enduring traits, motives, and attitudes) or to external situations
• Dispositional attribution


  Attributing behavior to the person's disposition and traits
• Situational attribution


  Attributing behavior to the environment
• Fundamental attribution error


  The tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences upon others' behavior
• Why do we make the attribution error?
• Reasons for the fundamental attribution error

  • Actor-observer difference
  • Camera perspective bias
  • Perspective change with time
  • Self-awareness
  • Cultural differences
• Self-fulfilling prophecy


  A belief that leads to its own fulfillment
• Behavioral confirmation


  A type of self-fulfilling prophecy whereby people's social expectations lead them to behave in ways that cause others to confirm their expectations
• Psychological motives underlying a conspiracy belief

  • Epistemic motive
  • Existential motive
  • Social motive