Correspondent Inference Theory

Definition

Correspondent inference theory is a social psychology concept that explains how individuals make attributions about the causes of others' behaviors. It suggests that people tend to infer personal dispositions or internal factors as the cause of a person's behavior, even when situational factors may be the primary driver.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Correspondent inference theory suggests that people tend to make dispositional attributions, or infer that a person's behavior is caused by their personality or character, even when situational factors are the primary driver.
2. This theory proposes that individuals make correspondent inferences, meaning they assume a close link between a person's behavior and their underlying traits or dispositions.
3. The tendency to make correspondent inferences is believed to be a cognitive bias that helps individuals make sense of and predict others' behaviors, but it can lead to inaccurate attributions.
4. Correspondent inference theory is closely related to the fundamental attribution error, which is the tendency to overemphasize internal factors and underestimate the influence of external, situational factors when explaining others' behaviors.
5. The theory suggests that the strength of the correspondent inference made is influenced by factors such as the distinctiveness, consensus, and consistency of the behavior being observed.

Review Questions

• Explain how correspondent inference theory relates to the process of making attributions about the causes of others' behaviors.
  • Correspondent inference theory suggests that when observing the behavior of others, people tend to make dispositional attributions, meaning they infer that the behavior is caused by the person's internal traits, personality, or character. This is in contrast to situational attributions, where the behavior is explained by external, environmental factors. The theory proposes that individuals have a cognitive bias to assume a close link between a person's behavior and their underlying dispositions, even when situational factors may be the primary driver of the behavior.
• Describe the relationship between correspondent inference theory and the fundamental attribution error.
  • Correspondent inference theory is closely related to the fundamental attribution error, which is the tendency to overemphasize internal, personal factors as the cause of others' behaviors while underestimating the influence of external, situational factors. Both theories suggest that people have a cognitive bias to make dispositional attributions, or infer that a person's behavior is caused by their personality or character, rather than considering the situational context that may be influencing the behavior. The fundamental attribution error can be seen as a specific manifestation of the broader concept of correspondent inference theory, where individuals make overly confident inferences about the correspondence between a person's behavior and their internal dispositions.
• Analyze how the factors of distinctiveness, consensus, and consistency can influence the strength of correspondent inferences made about others' behaviors.
  • According to correspondent inference theory, the strength of the correspondent inferences made about others' behaviors is influenced by the distinctiveness, consensus, and consistency of the observed behavior. Distinctiveness refers to the degree to which the behavior is unique or unusual for the individual; the more distinctive the behavior, the more likely it is to be attributed to internal dispositions. Consensus refers to the extent to which other people exhibit the same behavior in the same situation; low consensus would lead to stronger correspondent inferences. Consistency refers to the degree to which the individual exhibits the same behavior across different situations; high consistency would also strengthen correspondent inferences. By considering these contextual factors, the theory suggests that individuals can make more or less confident attributions about the causes of others' behaviors, either overemphasizing internal factors or recognizing the influence of situational elements.

Related terms

Attribution Theory: Attribution theory examines how individuals explain the causes of their own and others' behaviors, focusing on the process of making inferences about the reasons behind a particular behavior.

Fundamental Attribution Error: The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overemphasize internal, personal factors as the cause of others' behaviors while underestimating the influence of external, situational factors.

Situational Factors: Situational factors are the external circumstances, environmental conditions, or contextual elements that may influence a person's behavior, rather than their internal dispositions or personality traits.