What does attribution theory explain?

• A. How to change negative behaviors
• B. The causes of one's own and others' behaviors
• C. The effects of social norms on group behavior
• D. The impact of environmental factors on personality

Answer: (B)

Attribution theory is fundamentally concerned with how individuals interpret and assign causes to behaviors, both their own and those of others. It seeks to understand the cognitive processes that underlie judgments about why people do what they do. This involves the distinction between internal attributions, where behavior is attributed to personal characteristics, and external attributions, where behavior is linked to situational factors.

This theoretical framework allows individuals to make sense of their social world by providing explanations for actions, which can influence emotions and behaviors in response to understanding those actions. For example, if someone believes that a friend's failure in a test was due to a lack of effort (an internal attribution), they may feel frustrated or disappointed; however, if they believe it was due to difficult circumstances beyond their friend's control (an external attribution), their emotional response may be more sympathetic.

While other options touch on related psychological concepts, they do not encapsulate the essence of attribution theory as clearly as the correct choice. The theory does not focus on changing behaviors directly, the influence of social norms, or the impact of environmental factors on personality, which are separate areas of study within social psychology.