Which theory explains how social perceivers use information to understand events?

Attribution theory is a framework that helps explain how individuals interpret and assign causes to events and behaviors, particularly those involving social interactions. This theory posits that people seek to understand the reasons behind the actions of others by attributing them to either internal factors (like personality traits) or external factors (like situational influences).

When applying attribution theory in social perception, individuals analyze the behavior of others to determine why they acted a certain way, often considering the context and possible motivations. This understanding of causation allows perceivers to navigate social environments and make predictions about future behaviors. Therefore, the focus of this theory is fundamentally about processing and interpreting the information surrounding social events and the consequent behaviors of individuals.

The other options, while related to social understanding in some way, do not specifically outline the mechanics of how information is used to understand events in the same structured manner as attribution theory. Selective perception relates more to how people focus on certain aspects of information that align with their existing beliefs. Social perception theory, while relevant, does not specifically break down how attributions are made in the context of social interactions. Social theory is a broader term that encompasses various philosophies and ideas about society, without a specific focus on the cognitive processes involved in social perception.