Errors+in+attribution


 * Sociocultural cognition Social norms Cultural norms **

=Sociocultural cognition= Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4

Topic 2 - Errors in attribution

 * Discuss two errors in attributions **

Crane and Hannibal pages 104 - 106
 * Reading**


 * In your notes, write down the basic ideas of each of the following theories:**
 * **Fundamental attribution error**
 * **Self-serving bias**

=Fundamental attribution error=

Look specifically at the study by Lee et. al. (Crane and Hannibal, p. 105)
 * Key study**


 * Part 1**
 * 1) Write a brief summary of the study, including one sentence about each of the following:
 * aims and context
 * procedures
 * findings
 * conclusions


 * Part 2**
 * 1) Identify 2 limitations
 * 2) Identify 2 strengths
 * 3) Identify 2 limitations of the experimental method in general (use the //Research Methods// text as well as Crane and Hannibal for q. 3 and 4)
 * 4) Identify 2 strengths of the experimental method

To what extent might this error be influenced by culture? What evidence can you find for your hypothesis?
 * Part 3**

**Share your answers to Parts 1 and 2 on googledocs, and create a group response for Part 3** **http://docs.google.com/a/sasstudent.org** **Make sure you share your document with me at** **fleong@sasstudent.org** **Create 1 group response for all the above sections on your googledoc**
 * Group work **

Jones, E. E. and Harris, V. A. (1967). The attribution of attitudes. //Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 3,// 1-24
 * Further Research**


 * Evaluation** (after group discussion)

=Key ideas= Definition of FAE
 * overestimation of personality (dispositional) traits over environmental factors when looking for explanations of people's behavior
 * an individual will place more emphasis on a person's personality than on the context of the situation - we make judgments about people's personality based on the context we see them in
 * think about what you leave out when you don't consider the role played by the situation (eg. is a game show host really intelligent, or do you just think this because of the role you see them in)

Ross, et al (1977)
 * Empirical evidence of FAE (paragraph 1)**
 * 18 students from Standford university
 * simulated quiz game
 * randomly assigned to role of questioner or contestant, working in pairs
 * Findings
 * questioners were consistently rated superior in knowledge

Jones and Harris (1967) Fidel Castro essay story (p. 108)
 * no matter what the condition, participant's ratings demonstrated that they thought essays represented actual views of the writer
 * ignored the context of the 2nd condition where writers had no choice about being pro or anti-Castro

Fein et al (1990)
 * Limitation - FAE does not always occur - other factors are involved (Law p. 108)**
 * participants - US students
 * read an essay written by 'Rob'
 * condition 1 - participants told that Rob had to choose a 'for' or 'against' view
 * FAE demonstrated
 * condition 2 - participants told that Rob produced an essay expected by his professor and took the professor's point of view
 * no FAE demonstrated -> indicates that if an ulterior motive is perceived, less likely to make dispositional attributions

=Self-serving bias= (Crane and Hannibal, pages 105 - 106)
 * Review your definition of a 'self-serving bias'**


 * Key study**

"//Dunn (1989) notes that students often have trouble recognizing the self-serving attributional bias in their own behavior, especially when it extends beyond the internal-external dimension related to success and failure on a particular task...// //students should consistently list more strengths than weaknesses // " Dunn, D. S. (1989). Demonstrating a self-serving bias. //Teaching of Psychology//, //16//, 21-22. [|Source]
 * Class activity**

1B Mean number of strengths and weaknesses 3A
 * Did this apply to our classes?**
 * **Strengths** || **Weaknesses** ||
 * 7.56 || 9.44 ||
 * **Strengths** || **Weaknesses** ||
 * 9.55 || 10.73 ||

Why did students in our Psychology classes not produce the same results as students in North American classes? Consider the impact of culture
 * Reflection on class activity**

**Exploration**
Matsumoto and Juang, pages 404 - 417
 * Essential question: How does the cultural environment influence individual behavior? (Sociocultural learning outcome)**
 * Reading**

Using the theory of 'self-serving bias', discuss to what extent attributional biases are culture bound. Your answer should compare American biases to at least 2 other nations.

(Review the command term ‘to what extent’) Step 1 – Group discussion (15 minutes) Step 2 – Writing (30 minutes)

Please complete the writing at home - word processor (max. 500 words)

=**Further discussion**= (We will link to this when we study the biological level of analysis)
 * Links to Darwin and the biological level of analysis**
 * //survival of the fittest//