What does high consensus in Kelley's model indicate?

In Kelley's model of attribution, high consensus refers to the scenario where many individuals respond similarly to the same stimulus or situation. This means that if a large number of people act in the same way under similar circumstances, this behavior is seen as a consensus among individuals. High consensus provides a cue that the behavior might be attributed to the situation itself rather than to the individual’s personal characteristics.

For instance, if a large group of people are all expressing sadness after watching a touching movie, this high consensus suggests that the film itself is likely eliciting this emotional response, rather than any one person having a unique reaction. Such consensus helps observers determine that the behavior is influenced by external factors rather than internal dispositions.

This understanding contrasts with other responses; for instance, if an individual frequently acts in the same way, this indicates low consensus, as it points more to personal attributes rather than the influence of external circumstances. Similarly, stating that only a few individuals behave similarly or that no one else exhibits similar behavior denotes low consensus, which suggests that behavior is more likely due to individual traits rather than shared environmental factors.