This document discusses attribution theory and how people explain their own behaviors. It provides two main theories for why people make attributions: 1) learning to infer that voluntary behaviors indicate enjoyment or preference, and 2) assuming one likes all voluntary behaviors. There are two types of attributions: external/sufficient justification attributes behaviors to outside factors, while internal/insufficient justification assumes behaviors were done willingly. Internal attributions can lead to consistency in future behaviors, while external attributions may not predict consistency unless the external factors remain present. Research on cognitive dissonance and persuasion techniques also found that internal attributions relieve dissonance more and can create commitment to behaviors.

1. UNIT 15 Attribution

2. Attribution An explanation we have for why something happened

3. WHY WE MAKE ATTRIBUTIONS

4. THEORY #1 -- Our parents forced us to do things we didn’t like to do -- We did things we liked to do voluntarily -- We infer that things we do voluntarily are things we like – we learn to make attributions

5. THEORY #2 -- We illogically assume we like everything we do -- So when we do something -- We make the attribution that we actually like it

6. Types of Attributions

7. Sufficient Justification -- We find an external reason (justification) to attribute the way we behave to -- We make an external attribution

8. Insufficient Justification -- We can’t find an external reason (justification) to attribute the way we behave to -- We assume we behaved the way we wanted to do so. -- We make internal attributions – aka I did it because I believed in it – it made me feel good

9. Attributions and Future Behavior

10. External If we assume that we behave because of external reasons, we will not be likely to behave the same way again unless those external reasons are present

11. Internal --We think we behaved because we liked to to or because we believe in what we’re doing. --We have committed ourselves to that behavior and will act the same in the future.

12. Attribution Research

13. Aronson & Mills (1959) THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SEX! - The Discussion Group Initiation 1. Mild: read aloud non-obscene sex-related words. 2. Severe: 12 obscene words and 2 graphic descriptions

14. Attribution and Other Persuasion Approaches

15. Cognitive Dissonance and Justification Effects Internal justification will help relieve cognitive dissonance better than external

16. Consistency/Commitment An internal attribution may be considered a type of commitment which creates the need to be consistent with past actions/attributions.

17. Foot-in-the-Door Technique If they comply with the first request, they attribute their behavior to their positive attitude towards the request and the be more likely to comply with similar requests

18. IMPLICATIONS We must be aware of why someone is doing something. School Cleanliness Study