Final answer:
The self-perception theory was developed by psychologist Daryl Bem, proposing that people infer their own attitudes and feelings from observing their behavior and the context, especially when their own emotional state is uncertain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The self-perception theory was developed by psychologist Daryl Bem in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This theory suggests that individuals form their attitudes and emotions by observing their own behavior and the context in which this behavior occurs, particularly when they are not sure how they should feel. The core idea is that people often infer their own attitudes and feelings; they look at their behavior and the situation and conclude what their attitudes must be.
For example, if you are repeatedly doing volunteer work, you might conclude that you must care about a cause because you are actively supporting it. Similarly, if someone observes themselves smiling during a social event, they might decide that they are enjoying the event, especially if they don't have a preexisting understanding of their feelings towards the event.
Bem's theory was a significant contribution to psychology and opened up new ways of thinking about how individuals understand themselves and their motives. It challenges the classic view that attitudes always precede behaviors and provides an alternative perspective on self-understanding and the formation of personal attitudes.