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Positivity Effect
Explanations > Theories > Positivity Effect
Description | Research | Example | So What? | See also | References
Description
When considering people we like (including ourselves), we tend to make situational attributions about negative their behaviors and dispositional attributions about their positive behaviors. We probably do the reverse for people we do not like.
This may well be because of the dissonance between liking a person and seeing them behave negatively.
Research
Taylor and Koivumaki gave people a list of positive and negative behaviors done by themselves, their partners and friends and asked them to rate the degree to which these were due to situational or behavioral factors. Positive behaviors were attributed largely to dispositional factors, whilst negative behaviors were attributed to situational factors.
Example
If my friend hits someone, I will tell him that the other guy deserved it or that he had to defend himself.
So what?
Using it
Make friends by making situational attributions about their problems and dispositional attributions about their positive behaviors.
Defending
Beware of people who overlook your mistakes and praise too fully. Especially when they start asking you for things.
See also
Attribution Theory, Cognitive Dissonance, Fundamental Attribution Error, Personal validation fallacy
References
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