QQuestionPsychology
QuestionPsychology
Which of the following is an example of the fundamental attribution error?
A) Celeste thinks that her friend only bought lunch for her because he just found out he was hired for the job she wanted.
B) Nelson thinks that his colleague is just a generous person after she bought doughnuts for the office, even though he heard she was up for promotion.
C) Danielle assumes that because her friend got a bad mark on the test, he didn't get a good night's sleep the night before.
D) Bart assumes that his daughter was yelling at her brother because she was upset about her dog running away.
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Answer
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Step 1:: Identify the fundamental attribution error in each option.
The fundamental attribution error is a cognitive bias where individuals overemphasize internal characteristics (such as personality traits or abilities) and underestimate external factors when explaining the behavior of others.
Step 2:: Analyze option A.
Celeste attributes her friend's action of buying lunch to his personality trait (generosity) rather than considering external factors like wanting to celebrate his job hire. This is an example of the fundamental attribution error.
Step 3:: Analyze option B.
Nelson is committing the fundamental attribution error by attributing his colleague's generosity to her personality (being a generous person) instead of considering external factors such as trying to impress her bosses for the promotion.
Step 4:: Analyze option C.
Danielle is not committing the fundamental attribution error in this case. She is considering an external factor (lack of sleep) as a possible explanation for her friend's bad test score.
Step 5:: Analyze option D.
Bart is committing the fundamental attribution error by attributing his daughter's behavior (yelling at her brother) to her internal state (being upset about her dog running away) instead of considering external factors like a possible argument with her brother.
Final Answer
The fundamental attribution error is present in options A, B, and D, where individuals attribute others' behavior to internal factors rather than external ones. In contrast, option C does not demonstrate the fundamental attribution error.
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