Question

Carl is always happy and smiling. Today, you notice he seems down and think something must have happened to upset him. What types of attribution are you making? Internal External Situational Dispositional (A) I and III only (B) I and IV only (C) II and III only (D) II and IV only

Short answer

C

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Types of Attributions

First, recognize what internal, external, situational, and dispositional attributions are. Internal and dispositional attributions assign causality to a person's traits or characteristics. External and situational attributions assign causality to external factors or the environment.

Identify the Attributions You Are Making

Notice that you think Carl seems down because something must have happened to upset him. This implies you believe an event (external cause) affected his mood (situational cause).

Match the Attributions to the Terms

Since you believe external factors and the situation are to blame, look for options that include external and situational attributions.

Choose the Correct Answer

From the options, (C) II and III only correctly includes external and situational attributions.

Key concepts

internal attribution

Internal attribution refers to interpreting someone's behavior based on their personal traits, character, or personality. For instance, if someone excels at their job, you might think it's because they are naturally hard-working or intelligent.
When we attribute Carl's happiness and smiling to his cheerful personality, we are making an internal attribution.
This implies that we believe his behavior is primarily due to who he is as a person.
Characteristics leading to internal attributions include:

• Consistent behavior across different situations
• A strong correlation with the person's known traits
• Persistent over time

external attribution

External attribution assigns the responsibility of behavior to outside factors that are beyond the individual's control. It considers the surrounding environment, other people, or luck as the causes.
In Carl's case, thinking he is upset because 'something must have happened' is an external attribution.
Here are key aspects of external attributions:

• Events or actions attributed to environmental circumstances
• Acknowledges that external variables influence behavior
• Often situational and temporary

The implication is that another factor—not necessarily a trait within Carl—is causing his current mood.

situational attribution

Situational attribution, a subset of external attribution, blames the specific situation or context for someone's behavior. It's conditional and revolves around the immediate circumstances.
When you think Carl seems down because something specific (like a tough situation) recently happened, you are making a situational attribution.
Important points about situational attributions include:

• Focus on the current environment or scenario
• Temporary and directly linked to the situation
• Often logical and straightforward explanations

This type of attribution highlights the role of immediate context in behavior.

dispositional attribution

Dispositional attribution, similar to internal attribution, is attributing behavior to a person's inherent qualities or mindset. It suggests enduring traits that influence actions across various situations.
If you believe Carl's consistent happiness is due to his general disposition, you're making a dispositional attribution.
Key characteristics of dispositional attributions are:

• Behavior seen as stemming from personal disposition
• Stable over time and across different contexts
• Reflects a person's common mood or personality traits

Dispositional attributions put the emphasis on enduring personal qualities, rather than external influences or fleeting situations.