Attribution Theory

A topic within Social Psychology, itself one of 13 topics in that field and part of Psychology.

Reading on Attribution Theory

2 works

Paper1946

Attitudes and Cognitive Organization

Fritz Heider

People strive to keep their attitudes toward each other and toward third parties or objects in a balanced, consistent triangle, and will change one attitude rather than tolerate the psychological strain of an unbalanced one - the seed of later attribution theory.

link checked 17 Sept 2026Notes on this copy

Psychology · Social Psychology

FreeIntermediate

Essay1977

The Intuitive Psychologist and His Shortcomings: Distortions in the Attribution Process

Lee Ross

Names the fundamental attribution error - the pervasive tendency to explain others' behaviour by their disposition while overlooking the situation that constrained it - and argues it distorts everyday social judgement more than any single classic bias.

Notes on this copy

Psychology · Social Psychology

FreeAdvanced

Reading on Attribution Theory

Attitudes and Cognitive Organization

The Intuitive Psychologist and His Shortcomings: Distortions in the Attribution Process

Other topics in Social Psychology