Covariation Model

The covariation model, developed in the 1960s by American social psychologist/UCLA professor Harold Kelley (1921-2003), explains how we attribute behavior to internal/external causes—as applied to real-life situations. It suggests we rely on three types of information to determine if behavior is due to personal traits or environmental circumstances. We consider consensus (do others behave similarly), distinctiveness (do they behave this way in other situations), and consistency (do they behave this way consistently). If my boss yells at me, I might assume it’s the boss’ nature if they frequently yell at other people, too. If many arrive late to an event, I might think it had to do with the situation, like bad weather or a parking problem. The covariation model is a type of attribution theory (how people attribute feelings and intentions to others to understand their behavior).