Social Psychology paper - Essay Example

This makes this theory applicable only to higher mammals, including human beings. The theory is especially helpful in understanding the core processes of everyday human interactions. Say, a boss goes out to lunch with a female colleague; this is a typical scenario that falls within the application range of Causal Attribution theory. In this case, the boss orders food for his colleague while not being cognizant of her food allergies. Causal Attribution theory will help us answer such questions as “How much causal responsibility can we assign to the boss, for this apparent mistake”? etc. The theory is also useful in controlling levels of pain or joy.

Since the cognitive mechanism that results in sensations of pain or joy is a matter of anticipation and expectation, painful experiences can be mitigated and joyful experiences amplified if the individual sees events from a favorable perspective. As a result, Causal Attribution theory is also useful for psychotherapists who deal with cases of chronic anxiety and depression. The techniques learned to control levels of pain/joy can also help athletes in managing niggling injuries or competitive pressure when participating in a major sport event like the Olympic Games.

A few other phenomena associated with Causal Attribution theory are “The Self-Serving Bias and The Fundamental Attribution Error” (from the Presentation). Seminal work on these components was done by Jones and Harris in 1967 and by Ross and his team in 1977. Jones and Harris studied Fidel Castro’s public image and the causal mechanisms at play. Ross and his team studied game shows and found that participants “fail to see the inherent disadvantages in people” (from the Presentation).

Daniel Gilbert proposed a precautionary measure to avoid Attribution Errors. He recommended against weighing behavioral and situational information at the same time. The other area where distinction