Question

Topic: Attributions

Throughout this week, pay attention to the attributions you make for your own behavior and others’ behavior. Select 1 instance in which you made an attribution for your own behavior, and 1 instance in which you made an attribution for someone else’s behavior. Then respond to the questions below.

Describe 1 instance from the past week in which you made an attribution for your own behavior.

Was the attribution internal or external? Positive or negative?

Did you demonstrate the self-serving attributional bias (accept responsibility for positive outcomes but blame someone or something else for negative outcomes)? How do you know?

What was the outcome? Were there any negative or positive consequences of making this attribution?

Describe 1 instance from the past week in which you made an attribution for someone else’s behavior.

Was the attribution internal or external? Positive or negative?

How much do you like this person? How do you think your attribution would have been different (if at all) if you liked the person more or less?

How well do you know this person? How do you think your attribution would have been different (if at all) if you knew the person more or less?

What was the outcome? Were there any negative or positive consequences of making this attribution?

Answer 1

Firstly let's understand what is attribution:

ATTRIBUTION: How people make sense of their world

2 kinds of attributions:

INTERNAL - dispositional

EXTERNAL - situational

As per your question: Instance 1

my car breaks down - it's due to my mistake i knew the wheels had less air i should have got the car wheels air checked.

This is internal attribution because the reason for the break down is within me not something which is external (i mean i haven't blamed any external force for it)

No i didnot face any self-serving attributional bias - because i knew it was my mistake also there were no consequences

Outcome was i learnt that next time i should be extra careful with my vehicle on road. No consequences as such

Instance 2

My friend had to re give her board papers as there was a scandal of paper leak due to which it became a government order to take re exams.

Extenal attribution - blaming the government for re-exam

Yes she is my friend so i like her. Also there are times when you dislike a person and tend to be bias while you are talking for that person.

I know the person very well. I dont think knowing or not knowing a person will cause much of a difference yes whether you like that person or not will make difference in terms of how you will speak of that person to others.

Outcome was re - exam in this case. No consequences as such