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Ultimate Attribution Error

Explanations > Theories > Ultimate Attribution Error

Description | Research | Example | So What? | See also | References

Description

We tend to assume that whole groups of people have similar dispositions. This may be based on stereotypes or limited evidence.

Research

Bodenhausen (1988) put different students in to a mock jury situation with identical details, apart from the name of the defendant. When the defendant's name was Carlos Ramirez, he was found guilty more often than if he was called Robert Johnson.

Example

Little old ladies are assumed to be kind, Jews assumed avaricious, children assumed to be innocent, etc. (of course, these are not true)

So what?

Using it

Make positive attributions about everyone who does what you want them to do, and negative attributions about contrasting groups. Encourage others to do the same.

Defending

Watch out for phrases like ‘they are all like that’, and any other generalizations. Spot words like ‘all’, ‘everyone’, ‘they’, ‘always’ and so on. Process these situations consciously.

See also

Availability Heuristic, Out-Group Homogeneity, Stereotypes

References

Pettigrew (1979), Bodenhausen (1988)

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

Please help and share:

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

– About
– Guest Articles
– Blog!
– Books
– Changes
– Contact
– Guestbook
– Quotes
– Students
– Webmasters

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
Massive Content — Maximum Speed