Attribution Theory and Person Perception
Chloe Ramirez
9 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This AP Psychology study guide covers attribution theory (internal vs. external attributions, explanatory styles, and biases), locus of control (internal vs. external), and person perception (mere exposure effect, self-fulfilling prophecies, and social comparison). It includes key term definitions, examples, and practice questions for the AP exam.
#AP Psychology Study Guide: Social Psychology
Hey there, future AP Psych pro! 👋 Let's dive into social psychology. This guide will help you nail those concepts and feel super confident for the exam. Remember, you've got this!
#Attribution Theory: Why We Do What We Do
Attribution theory is all about how we explain behavior—both our own and others'. It's like being a detective, trying to figure out the 'why' behind actions. Let's break it down:
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Internal vs. External Attributions
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Attributions: These are the explanations we come up with for why people (including ourselves) act the way they do. ðŸ§
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Dispositional (Internal) Attributions: We blame it on the person's character or personality. Think of it as something inside them. Example: "They failed because they're not smart enough."
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Situational (External) Attributions: We blame it on the circumstances or environment. Think of it as something outside them. Example: "They failed because the test was too hard."
Caption: A visual representation of attribution theory, showing the interplay between internal (dispositional) and external (situational) factors in explaining behavior.
#Explanatory Styles: Are You an Optimist or a Pessimist?
- Explanatory Style: This is your go-to way of explaining why things happen, especially good and bad events. It's like your personal spin on life.
- Optimistic Style: Good things are because of you (internal), will always be true (stable), and affect everything (global). Bad things are because of something else (external), won't last (unstable), and just this one thing (specific). Example: "I aced the test because I'm brilliant!" (optimistic)
- Pessimistic Style: Good things are because of luck (external), won't last (unstable), and just this one thing (specific). Bad things are because of you (internal), will always be true (stable), and affect everything (global). Example: "I failed because I'm just dumb." (pessimistic)
Think of it this way: Optimists see the world through rose-colored glasses (good things are internal, bad things are external), while pessimists see the world through gray-tinted ones (the opposite).
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Attribution Biases: Where We Go Wrong
- Actor-Observer Bias: We blame our actions on the situation, but blame others' actions on their personality. It's like we're the hero in our own story, but others are just characters.
- Example: "I was late because of traffic, but they were late because they're lazy."
- Fundamental Attribution Error: We overemphasize personality and underemphasize the situation when ...
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