Understanding Attribution Theory: How People Interpret Behaviors and Events

attribution theory

the theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition

Attribution theory is a social psychological theory that deals with how people explain the causes of behavior or events. It supplies a framework for understanding how people perceive and interpret the actions of others and themselves.

According to attribution theory, people tend to make inferences about the causes of behavior based on different cues. There are two types of attribution – internal and external. Internal attribution refers to the extent that behavior is attributed to dispositional or internal factors such as personality, ability, or effort. External attribution, on the other hand, refers to the extent that behavior is attributed to situational or external factors such as luck, task difficulty, or external pressures.

Attribution theory also explains how people tend to make different attributions based on whether the behavior being observed is desirable or undesirable. When people observe desirable behavior, they tend to make internal attributions, crediting the person’s abilities or qualities. In contrast, when observing undesirable behavior, people tend to make external attributions, blaming external factors for the behavior.

Additionally, attribution theory suggests that there are different biases that can affect attribution. For example, the fundamental attribution error occurs when people overemphasize dispositional factors and underemphasize situational factors when attributing the behavior of others. Self-serving bias, on the other hand, is a tendency to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors to maintain a positive self-image.

In conclusion, attribution theory helps us understand how people explain the causes of behavior and events and how these attributions can be influenced by various factors and biases.

More Answers: