What is Attribution theory and its types.

1.  Attribution Theory is a theory about how people
explain things. The theory is really quite simple despite
its rather strange sounding name. A synonym for
"attribution" is "explanation". The theory works like
this.
 When we offer explanations about why things
happened, we can give one of two types. One, we can
make an external attribution. Two, we can make
internal attribution. An external attribution assigns
causality to an outside agent or force. Or as kids would
say, "The devil made me do it." An external attribution
claims that some outside thing motivated the event. By
contrast, an internal attribution assigns causality to
factors within the person. Or as the sinner would say,
"I'm guilty, grant me forgiveness." An internal
attribution claims that the person was directly
responsible for the event.

2.  Attributions - are the reasons we give for our
own and others behavioural attributions.
 People are motivated to understand the causes
of behaviour. Attribution theory seeks to
explain how and why people make these
casual attributions.

3.  Fritz Heider argued that there are two general
types of attributions that people make.
 Personal attributions
 Situational attributions

4.  Explanations in terms of personal
characteristics. For example:
 “The baby must be a happy baby.”
 Other examples:
 He scored well on the exam because he is
smart.
 She tripped because she is clumsy.

5.  Explanations in terms of situational factors.
For example:
 “Someone must have just played with the baby
.
 Other examples:
 He scored well because it was an easy test.
 She tripped because a squirrel ran in front of
her.

6.  The Fundamental Attribution Errors that we
overestimate the power of the person and
underestimate the power of the situation.