Attribution

Causal attributions explain why events and behaviors occur. Researchers typically distinguish between dispositional attributions (something about the person caused the event) and situational attributions (something about the environment caused the event). The current article reviews classic attribution theories and contemporary dual process models of person perception. It presents common attributional biases such as the correspondence bias, actor–observer effect, and self-serving attributions, and describes the conditions under which perceivers are motivated and are able to correct for such biases. Individual and cultural differences in attribution are considered. Lastly, the implications of attributions for motivation, well-being, academic performance, and marital satisfaction are discussed