Look at the person and the situation
Compare possible explanations for an everyday event.
The picture in words
- Person-related explanation
- Consider patterns such as how the day was planned.
- Situation-related explanation
- Consider events such as transport disruption.
- Gather information
- Look for evidence that helps distinguish explanations.
Reading the illustration
The event is a fictional teaching scenario. More information about the person and situation can help evaluate the possibilities.
Try a question
What would help you evaluate the two explanations for arriving late?
Show the explanation
Information about the schedule, previous occasions and transport conditions would help. Together, these observations give the event a clearer context.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/12-1-what-is-social-psychologySelected introductory passages inspected