Question

Kate has been watching a lot of television trying to find examples of correspondent inference theory. As she channel surfs, she witnesses many different behaviours. In which case has Kate correctly analyzed behaviour according to the correspondent inference theory?

A) Debra Morgan finds a man tied down on a table, and instead of helping him, Debra hits him on the head. Kate feels that others would not do the same thing in such a situation.
B) Prime Minister Stephen Harper is supporting the legalization of marijuana, and Kate thinks he is so passionate that his position on the matter must be his own.
C) Peter Griffin is wearing glasses and acting very intelligent, and Kate thinks that his attire and behaviours lack consistency with Peter's usual self.
D) Jesse Pinkman is yelling at one of his friends in his house, at work, and at a restaurant, which Kate feels represents his behaviour being present across a variety of situations.

Answer 1

Kate has analyzed behavior correctly according to correspondent inference theory when she sees Debra Morgan perform an unexpected and aggressive action that leads to an inference about Debra's disposition, as this behavior is distinct and might not be done by others in the same situation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Correspondent inference theory is about making inferences about a person's disposition or personality based on observed behavior, particularly when the behavior is unexpected or unusual. In the scenarios described, Kate has analyzed behavior correctly according to correspondent inference theory in option A, where Debra Morgan finds a man tied down on a table and, instead of helping him, hits him on the head. This behavior is distinctive and non-normative, and thus might lead Kate to infer that Debra has a disposition that is aggressive or violent, as others might not behave the same way in such a situation.

It's important to consider that a lack of information about the context or situation can lead to attributing behavior to someone's disposition, as in the case of watching Debra Morgan. This is a common psychological phenomenon referred to as the actor-observer bias. Additionally, the other situations described (supporting legalization of marijuana by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Peter Griffin acting out of character, and Jesse Pinkman showing consistent behavior across locations) could potentially involve correspondent inference but do not provide a clear case where the behavior is both unexpected and linked purely to the individual's disposition without situational cues.