Evaluate the Contribution of ‘Attribution Theories’ and Related Research in Helping Us to Understand the Way in Which People Perceive and Explain Their Social Environment. Essay Example
Evaluate the contribution of ‘attribution theories’ and related research in helping us to understand the way in which people perceive and explain their social environment.
The key concepts behind the idea of attribution theories is to question what was the cause why you chose it and what information led you there. [1]Heider in his description tells us that we make judgements based on either internal/disposition causes, which are responsible for the motivating behaviour located in the persons personality or his apparent mood or on external situational causes which are caused by the environment. External attribution tells how the person acts in a situation outside the persons control whereas internal attribution is telling us something about the person and is able to give predictions about any possible actions that person might take. [2] Harold Kelley’s theory uses a detailed model called the ‘corvariation model’ using information from previous behaviour to make sense of current behaviours, considering how behaviours and situations vary together or correlate. [3]Kelley portrays this as that of ‘intuitive scientists’ echoing Heiders idea of ‘naive psychology’ but being more developed in that he specifies the procedures and data that he would use. [4]Harold Kelley’s theory looks at information from three different variables. These variables include consistency, distinctiveness and consensus. All three variables can be summed up in their simplified counterparts; actor, action and situation. [5]The major benefit of Kelly’s theory is that it offers precise prediction and data that is testable, and able to be proven. [6]Experiments such as those based on behavioural events generally use vignette’s to test social and psychological theories. A vignette is a short description of an event, situation or behaviour. [7] McArthur tested Kelly’s covariation model of attribution using vignettes containing sixteen different behavioural situations. [8]These
The key concepts behind the idea of attribution theories is to question what was the cause why you chose it and what information led you there. [1]Heider in his description tells us that we make judgements based on either internal/disposition causes, which are responsible for the motivating behaviour located in the persons personality or his apparent mood or on external situational causes which are caused by the environment. External attribution tells how the person acts in a situation outside the persons control whereas internal attribution is telling us something about the person and is able to give predictions about any possible actions that person might take. [2] Harold Kelley’s theory uses a detailed model called the ‘corvariation model’ using information from previous behaviour to make sense of current behaviours, considering how behaviours and situations vary together or correlate. [3]Kelley portrays this as that of ‘intuitive scientists’ echoing Heiders idea of ‘naive psychology’ but being more developed in that he specifies the procedures and data that he would use. [4]Harold Kelley’s theory looks at information from three different variables. These variables include consistency, distinctiveness and consensus. All three variables can be summed up in their simplified counterparts; actor, action and situation. [5]The major benefit of Kelly’s theory is that it offers precise prediction and data that is testable, and able to be proven. [6]Experiments such as those based on behavioural events generally use vignette’s to test social and psychological theories. A vignette is a short description of an event, situation or behaviour. [7] McArthur tested Kelly’s covariation model of attribution using vignettes containing sixteen different behavioural situations. [8]These