Current Search:   Monson, Thomas C. (x)

View All Items

  • CSV Spreadsheet
(1 - 9 of 9)
Detection in dispositional change in romantic relationships: A dynamic explanation
Title
Detection in dispositional change in romantic relationships: A dynamic explanation.
Creator
Bodin, Sarah G., Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C.
Abstract/Description
Many studies have been devoted to investigating the process by which individuals make dispositional attributions about the people that they encounter. A surprisingly small number of studies have been directed at examining the process by which individuals may detect change in their impressions of people once they have been formed. In fact, traditional social psychology literature suggests that individuals will engage in a number of processes to maintain or improve, rather than change, their...
Show moreMany studies have been devoted to investigating the process by which individuals make dispositional attributions about the people that they encounter. A surprisingly small number of studies have been directed at examining the process by which individuals may detect change in their impressions of people once they have been formed. In fact, traditional social psychology literature suggests that individuals will engage in a number of processes to maintain or improve, rather than change, their initial attributions. With such alarming divorce rates, it is quite obvious that romantic couples are detecting change in their perceptions of one another. However, romance and attribution research has not been able to fully explain how detection of perception change occurs in romantic relationships. More specifically, traditional linear theories of attribution are not able to clarify how dramatic dispositional change can occur in romantic relationships. Results from an experiment lead us to believe that the detection of dispositional change in romantic relationships is actually quite dynamic, counter to current beliefs in the field. In addition, the Discounting Principle may be used in non-traditional ways.
Show less
Date Issued
2005
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13245
Subject Headings
Attribution (Social psychology), Interpersonal communication, Interpersonal relations, Affect (Psychology)--Study and teaching, Social perception
Format
Document (PDF)
PERSONALITY TRAIT ATTRIBUTION: THE ROLE OF TRAITS, SITUATIONS, AND ACTOR - OBSERVER DIFFERENCES IN PERSPECTIVE
Title
PERSONALITY TRAIT ATTRIBUTION: THE ROLE OF TRAITS, SITUATIONS, AND ACTOR - OBSERVER DIFFERENCES IN PERSPECTIVE.
Creator
BENNETT, WILLIAM L. SCOTT., Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C.
Abstract/Description
An experiment was designed to test the differences in trait ascriptions of actors and observers. Hypotheses were derived from Monson and Snyder's (1977) causal attribution model such that actor's attributions about themselves would be more strongly affected by their behavioral history (i.e., traits), and that the trait attributions offered by observers would be more strongly influenced by the actor's momentary behavior. It was found that extraverted actors attributed more extraverted traits...
Show moreAn experiment was designed to test the differences in trait ascriptions of actors and observers. Hypotheses were derived from Monson and Snyder's (1977) causal attribution model such that actor's attributions about themselves would be more strongly affected by their behavioral history (i.e., traits), and that the trait attributions offered by observers would be more strongly influenced by the actor's momentary behavior. It was found that extraverted actors attributed more extraverted traits to themselves than did observers. It was also found that observers attributed traits to actors that were consistent with the behavior that actors exhibited. However, it was also found that introverted actors also attributed more extraverted traits to themselves than did observers. It was hypothesized that a strong social desirability component was operating to moderate the expected effects. Implications for the Jones and Nisbett (1972) hypothesis and for future research were discussed.
Show less
Date Issued
1987
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14396
Subject Headings
Personality, Social perception
Format
Document (PDF)
Perceptions of situational variability: Redefining its role in trait attributions
Title
Perceptions of situational variability: Redefining its role in trait attributions.
Creator
Janowsky, Alisha, Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C.
Abstract/Description
A basic difference between the perspectives of actors and observers is the amount of information each has to make attributional inferences. Jones and Nisbett (1971) suggested these informational differences lead to an inverse relationship between trait and situational attributions, such that better-known others receive more situational attributions while lesser-known others receive more trait attributions. We hypothesized that attributors typically ignore their perceptions of situational...
Show moreA basic difference between the perspectives of actors and observers is the amount of information each has to make attributional inferences. Jones and Nisbett (1971) suggested these informational differences lead to an inverse relationship between trait and situational attributions, such that better-known others receive more situational attributions while lesser-known others receive more trait attributions. We hypothesized that attributors typically ignore their perceptions of situational variability when constructing their trait attributions as these perceptions are biased by the number of available observations. Subjects were given two or eight samples of behavior for a series of different targets and asked to independently make both trait and situational attributions. Subjects with access to eight observations perceived more behavioral variability and made more trait attributions than those with access to two observations. Furthermore, attributors' perceptions of situational variability were more closely related to measures of biased "sample variances" than to measures of "estimated population variances."
Show less
Date Issued
2001
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12838
Subject Headings
Personality, Attribution (Social psychology)
Format
Document (PDF)
Resolving the consistency paradox: An averaging explanation of the discrepancies between naive and professional psychologists
Title
Resolving the consistency paradox: An averaging explanation of the discrepancies between naive and professional psychologists.
Creator
Saigal, Elizabeth Anne, Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C.
Abstract/Description
Professional psychologists have frequently examined cross-situational correlations in behavior. Based upon low correlations in the range of 0.15 to 0.30, many professional psychologists have questioned the utility of using personality traits to describe and predict behavior. In contrast, the "naive psychologist" appears to have an inordinately high expectation that the behaviors that individuals exhibit are strongly related to the traits that they possess. This discrepancy in the views of...
Show moreProfessional psychologists have frequently examined cross-situational correlations in behavior. Based upon low correlations in the range of 0.15 to 0.30, many professional psychologists have questioned the utility of using personality traits to describe and predict behavior. In contrast, the "naive psychologist" appears to have an inordinately high expectation that the behaviors that individuals exhibit are strongly related to the traits that they possess. This discrepancy in the views of professional psychologists and naive psychologists has been termed the "consistency paradox". Based upon the many errors and biases that have been documented in the attribution process, most psychologists have assumed that the viewpoint held by the professional psychologist is correct and that held by the naive psychologist is wrong. The results of several studies are presented suggesting that naive psychologists are capable of accurately detecting traits through a behavior averaging process even when cross-situational correlations reach zero.
Show less
Date Issued
2001
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12846
Subject Headings
Personality, Psychologists, Attribution (Social psychology)
Format
Document (PDF)
Trait construct validity: Covariation assessment vs. averaging
Title
Trait construct validity: Covariation assessment vs. averaging.
Creator
Pedersen, Ginger Lee., Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C.
Abstract/Description
Two experiments were conducted to assess subject accuracy in the attribution of trait constructs. It was hypothesized that subjects attributed trait constructs by averaging behavior across time, not by assessing covariation of behavior. In Experiment 1 subjects were given raw sets of baseball batting statistics and asked to attribute ability to the hitters. Major findings included that subjects were accurate in their attributions. In Experiment 2, subjects were given behavioral scores to use...
Show moreTwo experiments were conducted to assess subject accuracy in the attribution of trait constructs. It was hypothesized that subjects attributed trait constructs by averaging behavior across time, not by assessing covariation of behavior. In Experiment 1 subjects were given raw sets of baseball batting statistics and asked to attribute ability to the hitters. Major findings included that subjects were accurate in their attributions. In Experiment 2, subjects were given behavioral scores to use to place people on a trait scale. Varying numbers of scores were presented. The hypothesis that subjects would become increasingly accurate in their attributions as more information was gained was supported in the data. Other findings included that as more information was given, subjects viewed the behavior as more dependent on the situation. The findings are discussed in defense of the use of trait constructs in trait attribution.
Show less
Date Issued
1988
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14441
Subject Headings
Personality, Trait intercorrelations
Format
Document (PDF)
implications of self-selection for the adaptiveness of the fundamental attribution error
Title
The implications of self-selection for the adaptiveness of the fundamental attribution error.
Creator
Wilson, Lili Milian, Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C.
Abstract/Description
The fundamental attribution error (FAE) refers to the social perceiver's tendency to emphasize dispositional rather than situational information when determining the causes for an actor's behavior (Ross, 1977). The present study challenges previous FAE research by suggesting that highly constrained experimental circumstances, not representative of real-world occurrences in which self-selection variables play a major role, are perhaps responsible for these findings. Subjects were given...
Show moreThe fundamental attribution error (FAE) refers to the social perceiver's tendency to emphasize dispositional rather than situational information when determining the causes for an actor's behavior (Ross, 1977). The present study challenges previous FAE research by suggesting that highly constrained experimental circumstances, not representative of real-world occurrences in which self-selection variables play a major role, are perhaps responsible for these findings. Subjects were given behavioral information and asked to make attributions based on a target's level of agreeableness and predict their intentions concerning future interactions. The data indicates that limited information can still lead to accurate identification of true scores. Attributions for behaviors that were exhibited under both low and high situational constraint were useful in detecting a target's underlying trait. They also form a foundation for guiding future interactions. Together, these findings support the notion that the FAE serves as an adaptive and appropriate strategy.
Show less
Date Issued
1993
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14927
Subject Headings
Attribution (Social psychology), Personality assessment
Format
Document (PDF)
Selective exposure attribution theory: Implications for better than average biases
Title
Selective exposure attribution theory: Implications for better than average biases.
Creator
Kovalik, Jennifer T., Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
The better than average effect refers to the tendency of individuals to perceive themselves as above average on various dimensions of social desirability (Messick, Boldizar, & Samuelson, 1985). Most research suggests that the effect results from motivations to inflate levels of self-esteem (Alicke, 1985). The present study challenged that an information-processing mechanism driven by selective exposure of persons to the behaviors of others may instead promote an overall negative dispositional...
Show moreThe better than average effect refers to the tendency of individuals to perceive themselves as above average on various dimensions of social desirability (Messick, Boldizar, & Samuelson, 1985). Most research suggests that the effect results from motivations to inflate levels of self-esteem (Alicke, 1985). The present study challenged that an information-processing mechanism driven by selective exposure of persons to the behaviors of others may instead promote an overall negative dispositional asymmetry within a population. When subjects were asked to make assessments regarding a target's level of trait across situations permitting various levels of selective exposure, the data indicated an increased tendency to rate others more negatively when selective exposure was maximized. It was hypothesized that subjects had committed more "false negative attribution errors" and had corrected more "false positive attribution errors" upon drawing their conclusions.
Show less
Date Issued
1996
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15359
Subject Headings
Attribution (Social psychology), Self-perception--Social aspects, Self-esteem--Social aspects, Personality
Format
Document (PDF)
Pluralistic ignorance and explicit attitudes on academic cheating in college students and faculty
Title
Pluralistic ignorance and explicit attitudes on academic cheating in college students and faculty.
Creator
Hubertz, Martha J., Bjorklund, David F., Monson, Thomas C., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
Academic integrity essentially centers on an individual’s ethical attitudes and behaviors as well as injunctive norms, or norms that dictate what is socially accepted and lauded. One key influence may be pluralistic ignorance; here arguments for cheating posit that students cheat because they perceive that others are “doing it” to a greater extent than is actually true and thus what they are doing is minimized in relation to others. Research indicates that students perceive cheating as more...
Show moreAcademic integrity essentially centers on an individual’s ethical attitudes and behaviors as well as injunctive norms, or norms that dictate what is socially accepted and lauded. One key influence may be pluralistic ignorance; here arguments for cheating posit that students cheat because they perceive that others are “doing it” to a greater extent than is actually true and thus what they are doing is minimized in relation to others. Research indicates that students perceive cheating as more widespread than it actually is (Hard, Conway, & Moran, 2006). A considerable gap in the research is noted when looking at definitions of what constitutes academic fraud, research has indicated that when students are asked if they have cheated and then given a definition of cheating, their self-reports of cheating increase (Burrus et al., 2007). This indicates that students’ definition of cheating and a universities’ definition of cheating may be incongruent. Participants were 507 members of the Florida Atlantic University community during the 2012-2013 academic year who completed a survey that consisted of items, which centered on self-reported cheating, perceptions of what cheating constitutes, and estimates of cheating prevalence. Results indicate that students reported peer cheating to be higher then self reported cheating, that participants distinguished between five different forms of cheating, and that faculty and students hold differing definitions of cheating. The findings suggest a disconnect between faculty perceptions and definitions of academic integrity and students. This would suggest that greater efforts should to be taken to bring a more uniform operational definition of what constitutes academic dishonesty that universities, faculty, and students can rely on. Second, as a pluralist model of cheating was supported, universities could develop campaigns like those aimed at reducing drinking, hooking up, and increasing women in STEM fields (Lambert, Kahn & Apple, 2003; Mattern & Neighbors, 2004; Muldoon, 2002; Schroder & Prentice, 1998). Research has suggested social norm campaigns targeting pluralistic ignorance can be effective on college campuses. In educating students about what actually happens and the discrepancy between reality and perception, cases of academic dishonesty could be reduced.
Show less
Date Issued
2015
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004381
Subject Headings
Cheating (Education), College discipline, College students -- Attitudes, College students -- Conduct of life, Personality assessment, Plagarism, Professional ethics, Social ethics
Format
Document (PDF)
Approach, A voidance, and the Mouse Paradigm: An Examination of Wording and Relationships with Other Hedonic Constructs
Title
Approach, A voidance, and the Mouse Paradigm: An Examination of Wording and Relationships with Other Hedonic Constructs.
Creator
Saigal, Elizabeth Anne, Florida Atlantic University, Monson, Thomas C., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
The two principal areas of research addressed by this study were: a) further validation of Nowak and Vallacher's mouse paradigm, and b) comparison of literatures all theoretically derived from principles of hedonics. Validation of the mouse paradigm included examination of the instructional set and detection of individual differences in various hedonically derived measures of personality. The mouse instructions were framed in terms of approach ('less good ' versus ' more good') or in terms of...
Show moreThe two principal areas of research addressed by this study were: a) further validation of Nowak and Vallacher's mouse paradigm, and b) comparison of literatures all theoretically derived from principles of hedonics. Validation of the mouse paradigm included examination of the instructional set and detection of individual differences in various hedonically derived measures of personality. The mouse instructions were framed in terms of approach ('less good ' versus ' more good') or in terms of avoidance (' more bad' versus ' less bad ' ). Inclusion of inventories based on the principles of approach and avoidance allowed for examination of convergent and discriminant validity. The mouse procedure was able to differentiate self-esteem, self-stability, introversion/extraversion, neuroticism/emotional stability, and Strelau's Pavlovian mobility. Depending on the prime used, some differentiation was also seen with measures of attachment. Differentiation was not found with the mouse procedure for Strelau's Pavlovian measures of strength of excitation and strength of inhibition. Two factor analyses of the questionnaires used gave rise to conceptually positive and negative components. The positive component was related to self-esteem, self-stability, extraversion, strength of excitation, strength of inhibition, mobility, and inversely related to anxiety and neuroticism. The negative component positively loaded on neuroticism, avoidance, dismissing attachment, and fearful attachment, and negatively loaded on selfesteem, self-stability, and secure attachment. These components were compared with Vallacher and Nowak's hedonically based mouse paradigm measures. They were consistently found to correlate with distance under the approach prime and variability in distance under the avoidance prime. This suggests that individuals who score highly on conceptually positive constructs (approach temperaments) have more stable absolute attitudes whereas individuals who score higher on conceptually negative constructs (avoidance temperaments) have greater variability in attitude. The approach instructions initially gave rise to lower evaluation, more variability, and less time at rest than the avoidance instructions. This trend was reflected in the increase in correlations over time under the positive hedonic condition and a decrease in correlations with time under the negative hedonic condition. These results suggest a suppression effect with negative framing.
Show less
Date Issued
2007
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000876
Subject Headings
Social psychology, Intimacy (Psychology), Attachment behavior, Object relations (Psychoanalysis)
Format
Document (PDF)