Attribution TheoryTheory and Implications of

2006118 Anand Sivasankaran

2006148 Sujata Menon

2006120 Ashish Paretha

2006128 Jayachandran C P

Results of a test

You get the grade for a test that you have recently written. You peek inside the grade-sheet and realize that you have got…

10 out of 10!!!!!!!!!Too much of

pressure at office – Did not get time

at all!!

The book is really bad – does not

explain anything!!

The Professor was too fast!!!!

Courtesy: http://www.as.wvu.edu/~sbb/comm221/chapters/attrib.htm

Results of a test

You get the grade for a test that you have recently written. You peek inside the grade-sheet and realize that you have got…

10 out of 10!!!!!!!!!

I had spent so many sleepless

nights

I knew it – I had worked out all the

problems!!

I listened so carefully in the

class!

Courtesy: http://www.as.wvu.edu/~sbb/comm221/chapters/attrib.htm

So what’s happening here? ( and this is THE secret)

“Whenever there is an event, we tend to attribute causes to it...

…..and we do it such that we always maintain…….………a positive self-image!”

External

InternalC A U S E O F B E H A V I O U R

“people look for explanation of behavior, associating either dispositional (internal) attributes or situational (external) attributes“

Courtesy: http://allpsych.com/dictionary/a.html

Fritz Heider, Harold Kelley, Edward E. Jones, and Keith Davis say…

PEOPLE ATTRIBUTE CAUSES TO EVENTS:

External or Situational

Internal or Dispositional

… AND ALSO HOLD BIASES

Self Serving Attributions

Fundamental Attribution Error

Environment Person

Behavior, therefore,

B = f ( P , E )Courtesy: Nelson and Quick, OB, Chapter 3

It’s all about perception!!

Locus of Control Stability Responsibility Attributed to Example

INTERNAL

StableControllable Never Studies!

Uncontrollable Ability Low Aptitude

UnstableControllable Effort Did not study for this

testUncontrollable Sick on Exam Day!

EXTERNAL

StableControllable Instructor is biased

Uncontrollable Task Difficulty

Course has tough requirements

UnstableControllable Co-students did not help

Uncontrollable Luck Bad Luck!

Courtesy: http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Attribution_theoryhttp://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/EdPsyBook/Edpsy5/Edpsy5_attribution.htm

Three Determining Factors

Distinctiveness — consistency of a person’s behavior across situations. Is the behavior unusual ?▪ If yes, there is an external attribution

Consensus — likelihood of others responding in a similar way. Is the consensus high?▪ If yes, there is an external attribution

Consistency — whether an individual responds the same way across time. Is the behavior inconsistent?▪ If yes, there is an external attribution

To Grasp the theories…

The Question – “Why?” My Answer – Attribution. My future behavior is influenced by my

attribution.

….. THEN, if we influence a person’s attributions, we can influence his behavior!

Attribution theory @ the Workplace

Success is due to.. Failure is due to.. SO?High Achievers

High Ability and Effort

Bad Luck or Task Difficulty

Failure does not reduce moral, but Success build confidence !!!!

Willing to take responsibility and tasks

Low Achievers

Good Luck“Knowing the right people”

Doubt their abilityDoes not exercise effort

Success not feel rewarding, and failure seems default

Avoids responsibility and tasks

Courtesy: http://www.tcw.utwente.nl/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Interpersonal%20Communication%20and%20Relations/attribution_theory.doc/

In the rat race, be careful, what you attribute failure to.Imagine a running race, where the runner has put in his best, but did not win, what will we attribute the failure to?

Attribution theory @ the Workplace

Attributional models in leadership▪ Leaders emerge out of causal attribution by the team.▪ Leaders perceive the subordinates behavior.

Rajesh SureshYouSuresh hits

Rajesh. Why?Usually, Internal attribution“Suresh must have…..”Usually, External attribution

“Situation warranted that I hit…”Courtesy: Nelson and Quick, OB, Chapter 3 And many more such applications…

To summarize…

Attribution is about how individuals interpret events and links this to behavior and thinking.

Basic Principles3 Stages •Observe behavior

•Behavior is deliberate and not incidental•Causal Attribution

4 Factors •Ability•Effort•Task Difficulty•Luck

3 Dimensions •Locus of Control•Stability•Controllability

Courtesy: http://tip.psychology.org/weiner.html

References

Attribution Theory (http://www.as.wvu.edu/~sbb/comm221/chapters/attrib.htm)

ALLPsych Psychological Dictionary (http://allpsych.com/dictionary/a.html) Nelson and Quick, OB, Chapter 3

CTER WikEd – Attribution theory (http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Attribution_theory)

Attribution Theory and Motivation (http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/EdPsyBook/Edpsy5/Edpsy5_attribution.htm)

TCW – Attribution Theory (http://www.tcw.utwente.nl/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Interpersonal%20Communication%20and%20Relations/attribution_theory.doc/)

TIP: Theories – Attribution Theory (B. Weiner) (http://tip.psychology.org/weiner.html)

Thank you!We can attribute your knowledge to this presentation