Social Beliefs

1
Social Beliefs Judgments Chapter 3

• Jan 31st, 2006

2
Attributions of Causality

• Attribution theory how we explain peoples
  behaviors.
• Gender interactions example
• Heider we attribute others behavior to either
  internal (disposition) or external (situational)
  causes

3
Kelleys Attribution Theory

• We form attributions based on info about
• Consistency
• Example?
• Distinctiveness
• Example?
• Consensus
• Example?

4
Kelleys theory (ex)

• If low distinctiveness low consensus, but high
  consistency, which attribution?
• Example?
• If high distinctiveness high consensus, but low
  consistency, which attribution?
• Example?

5
Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

• Ross (1977) discount the situation.
• FAE when observing people, we
• underestimate power of situation and..
• overestimate influence of others dispositions
• When do we commonly make this error?
• When do we not make this error?
• Examples in everyday life?

6
Sources of the FAE

• 1) Actor-observer difference. As observers, we
  focus on the other person, notice situation less.
• Example?
• 2) Time perspective give more credit to
  situations effect on others over time
• 3) Cultural differences how does collectivism
  or individualism relate to situational
  explanations?
• 4) and note others in video

7
Biases in Perception Recall

• Overconfidence - were often more confident than
  we are correct.
• Made even worse by confirmation bias
• How can it be reduced?

8
Belief Perseverance

• Our tendency to persist in beliefs even after
  obtaining discrediting info if we have already
  come up with explanation.
• What is it partly due to?
• More compelling evidence is needed to alter
  beliefs than to create them
• Remedy ?

9
Constructing Memories

• We construct memories as we withdraw them from
  our memory banks.
• We construct what must have been, given what we
  know now.
• Were not very good at recalling prior attitudes.
  
• How does this affect event reconstruction?
• Problems for eyewitness testimony

10
Reasons for Unreason

• 4 main themes for why we form/sustain false
  beliefs
• 1) Preconceptions influence interpretation of
  events
• We respond to our perceptions, not necessarily to
  reality.
• example

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(cont.)

• 2) Heuristics rules of thumb, cognitive
  shortcuts
• A) Availability heuristic what is it? Example?
• B) Representativeness what is it? Example?
• C) Counterfactual thinking what is it? Example?

12
(cont.)

• 3) Misperceive correlation causation
• Illusory Correlation Associate random events as
  causal
• Illusion of Control Belief that chance events
  are under our control (examples?)
• 4) Beliefs can produce confirmation
• Self-fulfilling prophecy what is it?
• Examples?