Theories about how we understand people

Explanations > Theories > Theories about how we understand other people

Here are academic theories about how we make sense of the other people, inferring meaning about them.

Actor-Observer Difference: we see others' behavior caused by disposition, ours by situation.
Correspondence Bias: We over-estimate dispositional factors over situational factors.
Correspondent Inference Theory: we assume unusual acts are due to disposition
Covariation Model: we look for similarities to narrow down attribution in others.
Fundamental Attribution Error: we overestimate dispositional factors.
Positivity Effect: we make situational attribution for those we like.
Scapegoat Theory: we like having someone else to blame.

Dilution Effect: information about others reduces stereotyping.
Expectancy Violations Theory: we have expectations of others' behavior, eg. body space.
False Consensus Effect: we overestimate how much people agree with us.
Halo Effect: we generalize judgment across traits.
Implicit Personality Theory: we generalize expectation from a few central. traits.
Interpersonal Expectancy Effect: Action is based on how we expect others to behave.
Interview Illusion: after a quick discussion, we believe we can predict many behaviors.
Out-Group Homogeneity: we see out-group people as 'all the same'.
Stereotypes: we classify people in broad groups.
Social Exchange Theory: comparing give and take in relationships.
Outcome Dependency: we are optimistic about others when we need them to cooperate.
Reciprocity Norm: expecting others to return our favors.
Ultimate Attribution Error: we assume broad groups have similar disposition.

Illusion of asymmetric insight: We think we understand others better than they understand us.
Language Expectancy Theory: we are shocked by unexpected language.
Repulsion Hypothesis: we dislike people who are very different from us.
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: we language reality into existence.

See also