Download Social Psychology Fundamental Attribution Error: the tendency for

Social Psychology




Fundamental Attribution Error: the tendency for observers,
when analyzing another's behaviour, to underestimate the
impact of the situation to overestimate the impact of
personal disposition.
The fundamental attribution error appears more often in
individualistic cultures that communitarian ones. East Asians
are more sensitive to the power of the situation. (Heine &
Ruby, 2010).
In an experiment that asked people to view scenes, such as
a big fish swimming, Americans focused more on the
individual fish, Japanese more on the whole scene. (Chua et
al., 2005).
When we explain our own behaviour, we are sensitive to
how behaviour changes with the situation. (Idsen & Michel,
2001).
Fundamental Attribution Error Cont'd





Some 7 in 10 college women report having experienced a
man misattributing her friendliness as a sexual come-on.
(Jacques-Tiura et al., 2007)
How do we explain poverty or unemployment? In Britain,
India, Australia & the U.S. political conservatives tend to
place the blame on the personal dispositions of the poor and
unemployed. (Zucker & Weiner, 1993)
Political liberals and social scientists are more likely to
blame past & present situations.
Attitudes are feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that
predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects,
people, and events.
If we belief someone is threatening us, we may feel fear and
act defensively.
Attitudes




Peripheral Route Persuasion occurs when people are
influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's
attractiveness, such as celebrity endorsements.
Central route persuasion occurs when interested people
focus one the arguments and respond with favorable
thoughts. Because it is more thoughtful and less superficial,
it is more durable and more likely to influence behaviour.
Strong social pressures can weaken the attitude-behaviour
connection. (Wallace et al., 2005)
Attitudes are especially likely to affect behaviour when
external influences are minimal, and when the attitude is
stable, specific to the behaviour, and easily recalled.
(Glasman & Albarracin, 2006).
Actions Affect Attitudes



Foot-in-the-door phenomenon is the tendency for people
who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with
a larger request. Korean and Chinese communists were
able to get U.S. prisoners to denounce capitalism by
beginning with harmless requests, such as copying a trivial
statement, then gradually escalating their demands. (Schein,
1956).
In one classic experiment, researchers posing as safedriving volunteers asked Californians to permit the
installation of a large, poorly lettered “Drive Carefully” sign
on their yards; 76% consented. (Freedman & Fraser, 1966).
To secure a big commitment, start small and build.
Role Playing Affects Attitudes



Zimbardo (1972) randomly assigned graduate students to
be prison guards, others to be prisoners, complete with
gear.
The simulation got too real very quickly. Most guards
developed disparaging attitudes, and some devised cruel
and degrading routines for the prisoners. One by one the
prisoners broke down, rebelled, or became passively
resigned. After only six days, Zimbardo called off the study.
(But he still got a Ph.D. from it.)
Cognitive dissonance: we act to reduce the discomfort when
our thoughts and actions are inconsistent, normally reducing
dissonance by rationalizing behaviours and changing
attitudes. 58% of Americans revised their memories of the
Iraq War; it was a movement to liberate a repressed people
and promote democracy,supporting the war, even if no WND
were found. (Gallup, 2003).