382- Social Psychology
Term paper instructions-Briones
Paper Specifics:
• 3 pages, double-spaced, (I will stop reading after 3 pages).
• Times New Roman
• 12 Pt. Ft.
• Margins must be 1” on all sides.
• Any paper that only uses examples that are found in the textbook or were reviewed in lecture will receive zero credit.
• At least 3 sources (including the textbook) must be cited.
• Original theorist must be cited.
• Paper is due in class no later than the first 20 minutes of lecture on Thursday, February 21, 2019.
• Paper must be submitted to “turn it in” prior to the due date. (Anything with an originality score higher than 30% will not be graded.)
• 50 points possible.
• Deductions will be taken for: not following directions, poor grammar or punctuation, incomplete explanation of theory, irrelevant or unclear examples and plagiarism.
Please follow all instructions carefully.
1. Choose a social psychological concept from the list of topics we will/have cover/ed this quarter. (posted on blackboard)
2. Look up the theory in our class textbook and review the concept, locate the original theorist work cited in the reference section of the textbook and find it in the library.
3. Conduct a database search of psych info/psych articles and locate a recent research study that is related to the theory you have chosen.
4. Read and review both the original source and the new study.
5. Write a 3-page literature review that clearly defines that concept as explained by the original theorist and reviews the more recent application.
6. Review of recent article must include: type of design, procedure and participants, hypotheses and findings.
Attribution Theory: From Heider to Contemporary Applications
Introduction
Attribution theory seeks to explain how people make causal explanations for behaviors and events. Originally proposed by Fritz Heider in the late 1950s, attribution theory has since become a core area of research in social psychology. This literature review will first discuss Heider’s seminal work in developing the theory, then examine how more recent research has expanded upon and applied attribution theory.
Heider’s Foundational Theory
In his 1958 book The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations, Heider introduced the idea that people make causal attributions in order to understand the world around them (Heider, 1958). He proposed that we attribute behaviors and outcomes to either internal factors related to the person (e.g. ability, effort, personality) or external factors in the environment (e.g. task difficulty, luck). Heider suggested these causal explanations influence subsequent perceptions and behaviors toward others. For example, attributing a coworker’s poor performance to lack of ability (internal) versus an unfair workload (external) would elicit different reactions. Heider’s work laid the groundwork for decades of attribution research.
Contemporary Application: Self-Serving Bias
One area attribution theory has been extensively applied is in understanding self-serving biases. Self-serving bias refers to the tendency for people to take credit for successes but blame failures on external factors beyond their control (Miller & Ross, 1975). In a study by Campbell and Sedikides (1999), participants who scored well on a test were more likely to attribute their performance to internal causes like ability compared to those who did poorly, who cited external causes like bad luck. This confirmed Heider’s predictions about how attributions influence self-perception. Subsequent meta-analyses have consistently found evidence of self-serving bias across domains (Mezulis et al., 2004). Researchers now recognize its role in maintaining self-esteem and motivation.
Conclusion
In summary, attribution theory began as Heider’s insights into causal explanations but has since developed into a substantial area of social psychological research. Contemporary studies have supported and expanded Heider’s original ideas, such as demonstrating self-serving bias. Attribution theory continues to provide a framework for understanding how people make sense of the social world. Further research may explore cultural differences in attribution or its implications in real-world contexts like health, relationships, and work. Overall, the theory pioneered by Heider remains highly influential in the field.
