The fundamental attribution error is a cognitive bias in which observers explaining another person's behavior overemphasize that person's internal disposition or character and underemphasize the external, situational factors that shaped it. The bias is strongest when judging others; people are considerably more willing to credit their own behavior to circumstances. The social psychologist Lee Ross named and analyzed the pattern in 1977, building on the earlier 1967 experiment by Edward Jones and Victor Harris, in which observers still attributed a debater's assigned position to genuine personal belief.
Facts
Core ClaimWhen explaining someone else's behavior, observers tend to overweight that person's personality and underweight the situation the person was actually in. 1 First Described Year Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Fundamental Attribution Error
Wikimedia FoundationLead sectionQuote, Lead section
the fundamental attribution error is a cognitive attribution bias in which observers underemphasize situational and environmental factors for the behavior of an actor while overemphasizing dispositional or personality factors
1. Wikipedia: Fundamental Attribution Error
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.