Person Perception: Making judgment about others
Attribution Theory:
While observing people’s behavior
such as getting an overseas
assignment or promotion to top management position
or failed miserably in university examination or fired from the
employer etc, we attempt to determine whether it was internally caused or external
caused. If those factors such
as knowledge, skill, effort, talent, hard work, positive attitude are responsible for the
occurrence of behavior, it is labeled as internally caused. Internally caused
behaviors are those that are believed to be under the personal control of the individual. If those factors such as
situational factors such as location advantage, non availability of material, contacts with
influential
others,
etc are responsible
for the occurrence of behavior, it is labeled
as externally caused.
Externally caused behavior is seen
as resulting from outside causes; that is, the person is seen as forced into the behavior by the situation.