Fundamental Attribution Error
Definition
Fundamental attribution error is the tendency for people to overemphasize dispositional attributes for others' behavior while underestimating situational influences.
Analogy
It’s like watching someone trip over a rock. Instead of thinking they tripped because there was an unexpected obstacle (the rock), you immediately think they're clumsy – that's the fundamental attribution error.
Related terms
Actor-Observer Bias: The tendency to attribute our own actions to situational causes while attributing others' actions to their personality.
Self-Serving Bias: As mentioned earlier, this is the tendency for people to attribute their successes to internal factors and failures on external factors.
Just-World Hypothesis: The belief that people get what they deserve in life, an idea often used to rationalize inequality.
"Fundamental Attribution Error" appears in:
Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (10)
What is the fundamental attribution error?
What is the fundamental attribution error in social psychology?
What is the fundamental attribution error?
What is the Fundamental Attribution Error in the context of attribution theory?
What does the fundamental attribution error fail to recognize according to social context criticisms?
How does the fundamental attribution error illustrate biases in person perception?
Which example best illustrates the fundamental attribution error in social psychology?
How could an experiment be designed to test the fundamental attribution error?
How might the fundamental attribution error manifest differently in collectivist cultures versus individualistic cultures?
How does the fundamental attribution error contribute to bias and discrimination in psychological practices?
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