Kelly's Attribution Theories

Kelly's Attribution Theory is a psychological theory that focuses on how individuals make sense of their own behavior and the behavior of others. According to Kelly, people are motivated to understand the causes of events in order to predict and control their environment. He proposed that individuals make attributions based on three types of information: consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness.

Consensus refers to the extent to which other people behave in a similar way in a given situation. If everyone is behaving in a similar way, an individual is more likely to attribute the behavior to external factors rather than internal factors.

Consistency refers to the extent to which a person's behavior is consistent over time. If a person consistently behaves in a certain way, they are more likely to attribute the behavior to internal factors.

Distinctiveness refers to the extent to which a person's behavior is unique to a particular situation. If a person behaves differently in different situations, they are more likely to attribute the behavior to external factors.

Kelly also proposed that individuals make attributions based on whether they believe the cause of the behavior is stable or unstable, controllable or uncontrollable, and internal or external. These attributions can have a significant impact on how individuals perceive and respond to events in their lives.

Overall, Kelly's Attribution Theory highlights the importance of understanding how individuals interpret and make sense of their own behavior and the behavior of others. By understanding the factors that influence attributions, psychologists can gain insight into how people perceive and respond to the world around them.

Kelly's Attribution Theories

1. Attribution Theory of Interpersonal Perception (1967)

- Asserts that people tend to explain the behavior of others in terms of their beliefs about the other person's internal characteristics (dispositional attributions) or the situation they are in (situational attributions).
- People make these attributions based on:
- Consensus: Whether other people behave similarly in the same situation.
- Distinctiveness: Whether the person behaves differently in other situations.
- Consistency: Whether the person behaves consistently over time.

2. Covariation Theory (1967)

- Proposes that people determine the causes of behavior by observing how it covaries with other factors.
- Three conditions necessary for an attribution to be made:
- Distinctiveness: The behavior occurs in only one specific situation.
- Consistency: The behavior occurs repeatedly in the same situation.
- Consensus: Other people behave similarly in the same situation.

3. Causal Schemas Theory (1972)

- Suggests that people have pre-existing schemas or frameworks that they use to interpret social events.
- These schemas guide how people make attributions for behavior.
- Schemas can be based on:
- Personal experiences
- Cultural norms
- Learned patterns of behavior

Implications of Kelly's Theories:

- Self-Fulfilling Prophecies: People's attributions can influence how they interact with others, which can lead to the predicted behavior.
- Therapeutic Use: Understanding how people make attributions can help therapists address cognitive distortions and change behavior.
- Understanding Intergroup Relations: Attribution theories help explain how people perceive and interact with members of different social groups.