When applying Kelley's Covariation Model, what do the acronym CDC stand for?

In Kelley's Covariation Model, the acronym CDC stands for Consensus, Distinctiveness, and Consistency. This model is a framework used to determine the cause of an individual's behavior by examining how the behavior covaries with various factors.

Consensus refers to how other people react to the same stimulus. If many others respond similarly, it suggests that the behavior is a reflection of the stimulus rather than the individual. Distinctiveness assesses whether the individual behaves this way only in this specific situation or across different contexts. A high distinctiveness indicates that the behavior is unique to that particular situation. Finally, consistency looks at the behavior over time; if the individual behaves in the same way repeatedly in the same context, it suggests that there may be an internal cause.

Understanding these three components helps to clarify whether the attributed cause of a behavior is situational or dispositional, making this concept central to social psychology's exploration of attributional processes. The other options do not align with these key components of Kelley's model, which is critical for accurately discerning the causes of behavior.