AP Psychology Practice Quiz: Attribution Theory and Person Perception

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 16 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 16

According to attribution theory, when we observe someone's behavior, we tend to explain it by crediting either the situation or the person's inherent characteristics. What are these two types of explanations called?

A)Internal and external locus of controlB)Optimistic and pessimistic stylesC)Dispositional and situational attributionsD)Actor-observer and self-serving biases

All Questions (16)

A) Internal and external locus of control

B) Optimistic and pessimistic styles

C) Dispositional and situational attributions

D) Actor-observer and self-serving biases

Correct Answer: C

The content states that attributions are how people explain behavior, and it explicitly defines these explanations as either dispositional (internal, related to the person's characteristics) or situational (external, related to the environment or context).

Maria believes that she passed her difficult math exam because she studied hard and is good at math. Which concept does Maria's explanation best illustrate?

A) External locus of control

B) Internal locus of control

C) The mere exposure effect

D) The actor-observer bias

Correct Answer: B

Maria is attributing her success to her own efforts and abilities (internal factors). This is a clear example of an internal locus of control, where an individual believes they have control over the outcomes of events in their life.

When a driver cuts you off in traffic, you assume they are a reckless and inconsiderate person. However, when you cut someone off, you believe it was because you were late for an important meeting and didn't see them. This difference in explanation for the same behavior is a classic example of:

A) Self-fulfilling prophecy

B) Social comparison

C) Self-serving bias

D) Actor-observer bias

Correct Answer: D

The actor-observer bias is the tendency to attribute one's own actions to external (situational) causes while attributing other people's behaviors to internal (dispositional) causes. You (the actor) blame the situation (being late), while you blame the other driver's (the observer's subject) personality.

A teacher is told that a new student, Alex, is exceptionally gifted. The teacher then gives Alex more challenging assignments and more praise than other students. As a result, Alex performs at a higher level than his peers. This scenario demonstrates:

A) The fundamental attribution error

B) A self-fulfilling prophecy

C) The mere exposure effect

D) An optimistic explanatory style

Correct Answer: B

This is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the teacher's initial belief (Alex is gifted) caused them to behave in a way (giving more challenges and praise) that elicited a confirming behavior from Alex (performing at a high level).

After hearing a new pop song on the radio several times a day for a week, you find yourself starting to like it, even though you didn't care for it initially. This change in your preference is best explained by:

A) Social comparison

B) Self-serving bias

C) The mere exposure effect

D) Dispositional attribution

Correct Answer: C

The mere exposure effect is the phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. Repeated exposure to the song increased your liking for it.

The tendency for an observer to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition when analyzing someone else's behavior is known as:

A) The actor-observer bias

B) The self-serving bias

C) The fundamental attribution error

D) An external locus of control

Correct Answer: C

The fundamental attribution error is specifically defined as the bias of overemphasizing dispositional (personal) factors and underemphasizing situational factors when explaining the behavior of others.

A basketball player credits her game-winning shot to her skill and practice, but when she misses a crucial free throw, she blames the slippery floor. This pattern of attribution demonstrates:

A) The fundamental attribution error

B) The self-serving bias

C) The mere exposure effect

D) Social comparison

Correct Answer: B

The self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute successes to internal, dispositional factors (skill, practice) and failures to external, situational factors (slippery floor) in order to maintain a positive self-image.

David is unsure if he is a fast runner. At the gym, he gets on a treadmill next to another person and runs at the same speed to gauge his own ability. David is engaging in:

A) A self-fulfilling prophecy

B) Person perception

C) Social comparison

D) The actor-observer bias

Correct Answer: C

Social comparison is the process of evaluating oneself based on comparisons to others. David is using the other runner as a benchmark to evaluate his own running speed.

Whenever something bad happens, Leo tends to think, 'It's my fault, it's going to ruin everything, and it will never get better.' This predictable pattern of explaining events is an example of a(n):

A) Optimistic explanatory style

B) Pessimistic explanatory style

C) External locus of control

D) Self-serving bias

Correct Answer: B

An explanatory style is a predictable pattern of attributions. Leo's pattern of blaming himself (internal), assuming the negative outcome will be widespread and long-lasting, is characteristic of a pessimistic explanatory style.

Jamal fails a history test and says, 'The teacher made the questions unfairly difficult.' What type of attribution is Jamal making?

A) Dispositional

B) Situational

C) Optimistic

D) Internal

Correct Answer: B

Jamal is blaming an external factor (the teacher's difficult questions) for his failure, rather than an internal factor like his own lack of studying. This is a situational attribution.

The mental processes we use to form judgments and draw conclusions about the characteristics and motives of other people is best defined as:

A) Attribution theory

B) Social comparison

C) Locus of control

D) Person perception

Correct Answer: D

Person perception is the broad term for the cognitive processes involved in forming impressions of others. It encompasses how we interpret their behavior and make judgments about them, which directly applies to behavior and mental processes.

An individual who consistently blames outside forces like fate, luck, or other people for what happens to them is said to have:

A) An internal locus of control

B) An external locus of control

C) A pessimistic explanatory style

D) A self-fulfilling prophecy

Correct Answer: B

An external locus of control is the belief that one's life is controlled by outside factors which they cannot influence. Blaming fate, luck, or others is the hallmark of this perspective.

After failing an exam, a student with an optimistic explanatory style would be most likely to say which of the following?

A) I'm just not smart enough for this subject.

B) I knew this would happen; I fail at everything.

C) The professor is biased against me.

D) I didn't study the right material for this specific test, but I'll do better on the next one.

Correct Answer: D

An optimistic explanatory style attributes failures to external, temporary, and specific causes. Saying 'I didn't study the right material for this specific test' frames the failure as a temporary and specific issue that can be changed, which is characteristic of optimism.

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the difference between the fundamental attribution error and the self-serving bias?

A) Both involve making situational attributions for one's own behavior.

B) The fundamental attribution error explains others' behavior, while the self-serving bias explains one's own behavior.

C) The fundamental attribution error is about success, while the self-serving bias is about failure.

D) Both are primarily used to explain the behavior of people we dislike.

Correct Answer: B

This question requires differentiating two distinct biases. The fundamental attribution error is a mistake we make when judging OTHERS (over-attributing to their disposition). The self-serving bias is a pattern we use to explain our OWN outcomes (attributing success internally and failure externally).

Attribution theory is primarily concerned with the:

A) Process of explaining the causes of behavior

B) Tendency to like people we see frequently

C) Way expectations can influence outcomes

D) Comparison of oneself to others

Correct Answer: A

Based on the provided content, 'Attributions are how people explain behavior.' This is the core focus of attribution theory – understanding the mental processes behind how we assign causes to events and behaviors.

A student who attributes a poor grade to their own lack of ability (an internal, stable factor) is demonstrating a pessimistic explanatory style. This attribution is also an example of a(n):

A) Situational attribution and an external locus of control

B) Dispositional attribution and an internal locus of control

C) Self-serving bias and a situational attribution

D) Actor-observer bias and an external locus of control

Correct Answer: B

Attributing the grade to one's own ability is a dispositional (internal) attribution. Believing that one's own ability (an internal factor) caused the outcome is consistent with an internal locus of control, even if the outcome is negative. This combination is characteristic of a pessimistic style.