Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]
Author:
 		Keyword(s):
Year:  Vol:  Page: 

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Cited by other online articles
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Follett, K. J.
Right arrow Articles by Hess, T. M.
Right arrow Articles citing this Article
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Follett, K. J.
Right arrow Articles by Hess, T. M.
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 57:P312-P323 (2002)
© 2002 The Gerontological Society of America

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Aging, Cognitive Complexity, and the Fundamental Attribution Error

Katherine J. Folletta and Thomas M. Hessa

a Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Thomas M. Hess, Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7801 E-mail: thomas_hess{at}ncsu.edu.

Decision Editor: Margie E. Lachman, PhD

Age differences in the prevalence and underpinnings of the fundamental attribution error were examined. Young, middle-aged, and older adults observed an actor providing responses to questions about political issues. In the no-choice condition, the actor was instructed how to respond, whereas in the choice condition, he was allowed to select his response. Consistent with previous research, middle-aged adults were less prone to the fundamental attribution error than were young and older adults. This was evidenced by their reduced tendency to make attitude attributions in the no-choice condition relative to the choice condition. Although high levels of both cognitive and attributional complexity were associated with reductions in attributional bias, complexity did not systematically account for the between–age-group differences in performance. It is suggested that the observed pattern of age effects is related to variations in both cognitive complexity and cognitive resources.




This article has been cited by other articles: (Search Google Scholar for Other Citing Articles)


Home page
 J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc SciHome page
F. Blanchard-Fields and M. Horhota
Age Differences in the Correspondence Bias: When a Plausible Explanation Matters
J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., September 1, 2005; 60(5): P259 - P267.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals The Gerontologist
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Copyright © 2002 by The Gerontological Society of America.