Errors in Attribution: Cognitive Biases
General reasoning behind FAE/SSB:
Faulty inference: we think we know behavioural rationale and look to justify those beliefs which maybe in error. Correspondance inference (Jones & Davis (1965): to adopt opinion as statement of self/identity Heuristic/cognitive shortcut: it can be 'easy' or quick to make errors in attribution. To find out 'real truth' takes longer. Discounting principle of attribution reflects this - human tendency to seek a single explanation for an event. Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE): when we overestimate the role of dispositional factors in explaining others' behaviour, and underestimate the role of circumstance.
Reasons: Ego/overconfidence --> We are overconfident in how ethical and 'good' or 'responsible' we are, but aren't as careful in how we consider circumstance in others' behaviour Attentional bias ---> We focus more on others' behaviour itself, rather than their circumstance. Takes more cognitive effort to deduce circumstance. Prediction ---> We tend to want to predict and understand the world we live in; if we attribute to stable reasons, meaning internal, personality based attributes, this is more easily achieved. Linguistic readiness ---> we speak more naturally about people and their actions rather than their disposition ie: 'she's angry therefore she's an angry person', rather than 'she's angry because she's been placed in an context that induces an anger reaction.' (Nisbett & Ross, 1980) Culture: in many individualist cultures, the individual him/herself is held responsible for behaviour. This precludes circumstance. In some collectivist cultures, the group is held more responsible for outcome, rather than the individual. Availability of info: attribution can be considered a heuristic, or a cognitive short-cut for making decisions. Based on other factors mentioned, the quicker, easier attribution can be dispositional. 2 Step attribution: Gilbert & Malone (1995) argue that we process sensory info in 2 stages: we observe/infer automatically; then, we make more concerted, controlled effort to process the social world. In busy life settings, we don't always make it to the second step. Step 1: The dispositional attribution tends to come first (automatic) Step 2: The situation is considered more deeply; we sometimes don't reach this step. |
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Self-Serving Bias (SSB): when we attribute our own successful behaviours to stable, internal, dispositional factors, while attributing our own unsuccessful behaviours to less stable, external, situational factors.
Reasons: Protection of esteem --> we tend to want to protect our self-image, self-concept of our success; this makes life more comfortable and 'easy to sit with'. Culture: individual self-esteem matters more to those from individual cultures so we may make more effort to protect it; in collectivist cultures, failure is shared among the group. Expectations: we expect to succeed particularly if we know we work hard at the task. |
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