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Related Concept Videos

Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory01:29

Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory

Attribution theory plays a crucial role in social psychology, helping to explain how individuals interpret the causes of behavior. One prominent model within this field is Harold Kelley's covariation theory, which provides a systematic approach to determining whether internal traits or external circumstances drive a person's actions. The model posits that individuals rely on three key types of information—consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness—to make these judgments.Consensus: Comparing...
Fundamental Attribution Error01:14

Fundamental Attribution Error

According to some social psychologists, people tend to overemphasize internal factors as explanations—or attributions—for the behavior of other people. They tend to assume that the behavior of another person is a trait of that person, and to underestimate the power of the situation on the behavior of others. They tend to fail to recognize when the behavior of another is due to situational variables, and thus to the person’s state. This erroneous assumption is called the fundamental attribution...
Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory01:15

Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory

Correspondent inference theory, proposed by Jones and Davis in 1965, seeks to explain how individuals infer stable personality traits from observed behaviors. It suggests that people attribute actions to underlying dispositions rather than external circumstances, particularly when the behavior appears intentional and socially significant.Voluntary Behavior and Dispositional AttributionAccording to this theory, individuals are more likely to attribute behavior to personal traits when it appears...
Attribution01:26

Attribution

In social interactions, individuals frequently seek to understand the motivations and causes behind others' behaviors. This fundamental aspect of social perception, known as attribution, plays a crucial role in shaping interpersonal relationships and guiding future actions. Attribution refers to the cognitive process through which people infer the reasons behind others' behaviors, allowing them to assess character traits, intentions, and situational influences.Attribution Theory and Its...
Attribution Theory00:56

Attribution Theory

Behavior is a product of both the situation (e.g., cultural influences, social roles, and the presence of bystanders) and of the person (e.g., personality characteristics). Subfields of psychology tend to focus on one influence or behavior over others. Situationism is the view that our behavior and actions are determined by our immediate environment and surroundings. In contrast, dispositionism holds that our behavior is determined by internal factors (Heider, 1958). An internal factor is an...
Actor-Observer Effect01:23

Actor-Observer Effect

The actor-observer effect, a cognitive bias closely linked to the fundamental attribution error, refers to the tendency for individuals to attribute their behavior to external, situational factors while explaining others’ behavior in terms of internal, dispositional traits. This asymmetry in attribution significantly influences social perception and judgment.Cognitive Mechanisms Behind the EffectTwo primary psychological mechanisms contribute to the actor-observer effect: differences in visual...

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Dissociation of the Confounding Influences of Expectancy and Integrative Difficulty Residing in Anomalous Sentences in Event-related Potential Studies
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Dissociation of the Confounding Influences of Expectancy and Integrative Difficulty Residing in Anomalous Sentences in Event-related Potential Studies

Published on: May 9, 2019

Experimental modification of attribution processes.

Kelly D Peters1, Joseph I Constans, Andrew Mathews

  • 1Tulane University and Southeast Louisiana Veterans HealthCare System.

Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|February 16, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cognitive bias modification (CBM) can alter attributional style, reducing self-blame and depressed mood. This suggests attributional style is malleable and can be changed to improve mental well-being.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Mental Health Research

Background:

  • Attributional style is a proposed contributor to depression vulnerability.
  • Previous research has not investigated if modifying attributional style impacts mood.
  • Understanding the malleability of attributional style is crucial for depression research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if computer-based cognitive bias modification (CBM) can alter attributional style.
  • To determine if CBM influences vulnerability to stress and depressed mood.
  • To explore the potential for modifying attributional patterns through digital interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Participants underwent computer-based cognitive bias modification (CBM) training.
  • Training aimed to instill either a positive or a negative attributional style.
  • Attributional style and mood were assessed following a challenging anagram test.

Main Results:

  • Participants trained in a positive attributional style showed fewer self-critical attributions for failure.
  • The positive attributional style group reported significantly less depressed mood after the stressor.
  • CBM effectively modified attributional tendencies in participants.

Conclusions:

  • Attributional style is not fixed and can be modified using CBM techniques.
  • Modifying attributional style may offer a pathway to reduce depression vulnerability.
  • Computer-based interventions show promise for altering cognitive patterns related to mood.