Fundamental attribution error
MCAT glossary · Psychological, Social & Biological Foundations of Behavior
Definition
The tendency to overweight dispositional causes when explaining others' behavior.
Fundamental attribution error in plain English
When someone cuts you off in traffic, your first thought is usually 'what a jerk' — not 'maybe they're rushing a sick kid to the hospital.' That snap judgment is the fundamental attribution error: we tend to blame other people's behavior on their personality ('who they are') and underweight the situation they're actually in. The catch is we don't judge ourselves that way — when we mess up, we point to circumstances. It's basically a lopsided lens: harsh on others' character, generous about our own situation.
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