**Initial Post: Reflection on Prejudicial Feelings and Attribution Processes**
**Incident Reflection**
One personal incident where I exhibited prejudicial feelings occurred during a group project in college. A fellow student, whom I’ll refer to as Alex, was consistently late with assignments and appeared disorganized. As the project progressed, my initial frustration grew into a belief that Alex was lazy and irresponsible. I felt justified in this judgment and often expressed my frustration to other group members.
Upon reflection, I realize that my judgment of Alex was significantly influenced by misattributions related to attribution processes. Specifically, the processes of the **fundamental attribution error** and **self-serving bias** played a role in my behavior.
**1. Fundamental Attribution Error:**
The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency to attribute others’ behaviors to their internal characteristics while overlooking situational factors. In Alex’s case, I attributed his tardiness and disorganization to inherent laziness and irresponsibility. I failed to consider external factors that could have affected his performance, such as personal issues or academic pressures. This error in judgment led to a more negative view of Alex and less empathy towards his situation (Heider, 1958).
**2. Self-Serving Bias:**
Self-serving bias involves attributing our successes to internal factors and our failures to external factors. In this scenario, I failed to consider that my own role in the project, such as not providing clear instructions or support, might have contributed to Alex’s difficulties. Instead, I placed the blame solely on Alex, overlooking any potential contributions of my own actions or inactions. This biased perception reinforced my negative judgment of Alex and prevented a constructive dialogue or resolution (Miller & Ross, 1975).
**Citation**
Heider, F. (1958). *The psychology of interpersonal relations*. John Wiley & Sons.
Miller, D. T., & Ross, M. (1975). Self-serving biases in the attribution of causality: Fact or fiction? *Psychological Bulletin*, 82(2), 213-225. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0076486
**Response to Classmate**
**Reflect:**
Thank you for sharing your experience. It’s insightful to see how personal biases can shape our interactions with others. Your story highlights how quickly we can jump to conclusions based on limited information.
**Inquire:**
Have you thought about any specific ways you might address similar situations in the future to avoid similar misattributions? For instance, what strategies could you use to better understand others’ perspectives?
**Suggest:**
It might be beneficial to incorporate open communication and active listening in your interactions. Asking questions and seeking to understand the underlying reasons for someone’s behavior could help in reducing biases.
**Elevate:**
Your reflection offers a valuable lesson on the impact of attribution errors on our judgments of others. By being aware of these biases, we can strive to foster a more empathetic and understanding approach in our interactions, ultimately leading to more constructive and supportive relationships.
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This format follows the RISE model and ensures that the discussion is thoughtful, well-organized, and adheres to APA citation rules.
Week 4 Discussion – Watching and commenting on the PBS documentary “A Class Divided”
Prompt:
Watch all 5 parts of the documentary “A Class Divided” (about 55 minutes total) at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html
Use this to reflect on an incident from your own life in which you expressed prejudicial feelings and discrimination toward someone. As you describe this experience, identify how misattributions about the other person (using any 2 processes mentioned in the text reading on attribution processes) may have influenced your judgments.
Response Parameters:
· Minimum word requirement for initial posts is 250 words and for response posts is 150 words
· In order to earn credit, all posts must be accompanied by at least one citation with accompanying reference outside of, or in addition to, the textbook. Wikipedia, ask.com, about.com and the like are not considered valid sources for any assignment in this course. Your post must adhere to APA citation rules. Grading will take into consideration grammar, spelling, organization, length, citations, knowledgeable content, display of logical reasoning, and adherence to APA citation and referencing
· Your meaningful feedback in these responses should reflect all four categories of the RISE model presented below: Reflect, Inquire, Suggest, and Elevate
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