Biology Forums - Study Force

Compare and contrast Jones & Davis's theory of correspondent inference with Kelley's theory of causal attributions.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Answer:
Answer should include the following points:
1. Correspondent inference  how we use others' behavior to infer various traits
2. focus on noncommon effects (effects that have only one cause)
3. focus on behavior with low social desirability content
4. Causal Attribution  we use three kinds of information to determine why others behave as they do, but the focus is on internal causes vs. external causes
5. Consensus  the extent to which we see similarity between others' behavior when faced with the same stimulus
6. Consistency  the extent to which we see the same behavior on different occasions
7. Distinctiveness  the extent to which we see the same behavior in response to different stimuli
8. Internal causes, such as traits or dispositions, are assumed to be the causal force behind a behavior when we see high levels of consistency and low levels of consensus and distinctiveness
9. External causes, such as situational constraints, are assumed to be the causal force behind a behavior when we see high levels of consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness
10. Combined or mixed causes are assumed to be the causal force behind a behavior when we see when we see low levels of consensus and high levels of consistency and distinctiveness
11. Kelley's theory can be seen in some ways as representing one instance of correspondent inference.
12. Other factors also influence our attributions regarding others:
13. the stability of the behavior over time
14. the controllability of the causes by the individual
15. These other factors are independent of the internal-external aspect of causality.