The fundamental attribution error: Underestimating the power of circumstances
When explaining the behaviour of others, we tend to overestimate the role of personality traits and underestimate the role of environmental influences.
What is your opinion about people whose political beliefs are opposite to yours?
Do you believe that life is fundamentally fair and that people get what they deserve?
When was the last time you considered someone else's perspective?
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The fundamental attribution error is our tendency to overestimate the role of personality traits and underestimate the role of environmental influences in explaining the behaviour of others.
This cognitive bias influences how we interpret and judge the actions of others. When explaining the behaviour of others, we tend to overemphasise their assumed internal traits, while at the same time underestimating the impact of situational influences and circumstances on their actions. The fundamental attribution error mainly occurs in situations with negative outcomes. Research suggests that collectivist cultures, such as East Asian societies, are less prone to this bias compared to individualistic Western cultures.
We are often wrong to think we know someone's personality traits, even of people we know well. Based on our limited and possibly biased knowledge of them, we label people as introverted, extroverted, conscientious, agreeable, neurotic, diligent, lazy, honest, incompetent, malicious, or optimistic or any of a myriad of other labels. But people's behaviour can be influenced by many factors, and our perception of their personality traits may not always accurately reflect the complexity of their character or the variability of their behaviour in different situations and circumstances.
An illustration of the role of situational factors is a study in which theology students were asked to give a short talk in a nearby building. Half of them prepared a talk about the parable of the Good Samaritan, a parable that focuses on helping behaviour. The other half prepared a talk on a subject that had nothing to do with helping behaviour. Some participants were told to rush to the other building because they were late, while others were told they had plenty of time. On their way to the other building, each participant encountered a man who appeared to be in distress, collapsed in a doorway and coughing (this was an actor). Irrespective of the subject of the talk they had prepared, 10 percent of students who were told they were late offered help, while in the other group 63 percent did so. This suggests that the situational factor of being in a hurry or not had a much greater influence than any personality factor.
A related bias is the self-serving bias, our tendency to attribute positive outcomes to our efforts and personality traits, while attributing negative outcomes to external factors or other people. For example, blaming external factors such as unexpected interruptions for missing a deadline, rather than acknowledging procrastination. This bias allows us to maintain a positive self-image by minimising the role of personal shortcomings or weaknesses in our actions.
Focus on other people
Our focus on other people stems from our evolutionary history. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors needed to be part of a tribe to survive and reproduce effectively. Alone, they couldn't defend themselves, hunt large animals, or reproduce. Being kicked out of the tribe meant almost certain death. Because of this, our ancestors were primarily focused on their fellow tribe members, and this trait has stayed with us. That's why we spend most of our time thinking about other people and less time on environmental factors.
Due to our focus on people, we tend to overestimate the influence of individuals. When a professional football team succeeds, the coach gets praised, and when the team underperforms, the coach gets fired. The same dynamics apply to companies and their CEOs, wars and their generals, and movies and their directors.
Our need for control
People want to feel they have control over their lives. By seeing others' behaviours as reflections of their character, we feel we can predict how they will act, which gives us a stronger sense of control. When we attribute their actions to changing circumstances, it makes their behaviour less predictable and the world feel less controllable.
Examples
Here are some examples of the fundamental attribution error and some of its potentially harmful consequences.
👉 Blaming one of your employees for the failure of a project and attributing it to incompetence, without taking into account factors such as unclear instructions, lack of time or a lack of resources that may have affected the outcome of the project. This can create a stressful work environment where the employee feels pressured to perform perfectly and experiences an increased fear of making errors.
👉 Assuming negative intentions such as malice or selfishness behind others' actions, without considering their perspective or external pressures they may face. Attributing unwanted behaviour solely to personal shortcomings or malicious intentions can lead to misunderstandings, undermine trust and create tension within interpersonal relationships.
👉 Believing that individuals who opposed vaccination during the Covid pandemic are inherently ignorant or anti-science, without considering factors such as distrust in government or pharmaceutical companies, or concerns about the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines. This can alienate those who have legitimate concerns about mRNA vaccines, lead to their stigmatisation and marginalisation within communities, and reduce vaccination rates.
👉 Attributing the actions of people with opposing political beliefs to inherent malice or immoral intentions, rather than taking into account different ideological perspectives and underlying concerns. This can increase polarisation and deepen divisions within society, leading to an 'us versus them' mentality, where individuals on different sides of the political spectrum become entrenched in their positions and less willing to engage in constructive dialogue or compromises.
👉 Blaming homeless individuals for their homelessness, attributing it to personal laziness or lack of motivation, instead of taking into account factors such as lack of affordable housing or access to resources. This unfair judgement can lead to stigmatisation and neglect of homeless people, hindering efforts to address root causes and provide support.
👉 Blaming victims of sexual assault for the assault, attributing the sexual abuse to the victim's behaviour, such as clothing choice or intoxication, rather than holding the perpetrator accountable for their actions. This unjust judgement can result in further trauma for the victim and perpetuate a culture of victim blaming. Victim blaming is used by many people to support the just-world hypothesis: the view that life is fundamentally fair and that people get what they deserve.
👉 Assuming a rude cashier is inherently unfriendly, instead of taking into account a stressful work environment or personal issues. This could be a misinterpretation of the cashier's behaviour, in which case this unjust judgement could lead to negative perceptions of and interactions with the cashier.
How to reduce the adverse impact of the fundamental attribution error
Protecting ourselves from the negative consequences of biases can be tiresome and impractical, but it can be worth it when the stakes are high.
⚒️ Become aware of the fundamental attribution error
Becoming aware of the potential adverse influence of the fundamental attribution error is the first step in reducing its impact.
When judging others based on their behaviour or outcomes, take a step back and examine whether the influence of the fundamental attribution error could lead to an unfair or unjust judgement with possible adverse consequences for yourself or others. Ask yourself questions such as:
🤔 Do I attribute this person's behaviour solely to his or her character, without considering external factors? Consider whether you are overlooking situational factors or external circumstances that may have influenced the behaviour in question.
🤔 Have I considered the situational context in which this behaviour occurred? Examine the broader context surrounding the behaviour to avoid attributing actions solely to personal characteristics.
🤔 Could there be factors beyond the person's control that contributed to this outcome? Investigate which external factors may have influenced the outcome to avoid the pitfall of attributing success or failure solely to personal characteristics.
🤔 Did I seek different perspectives or additional information before making judgements about someone’s character? By seeking out diverse points of view and gathering additional information, you reduce the risk of making hasty judgements based on limited understanding.
🤔 Does my judgement match my personal values? Evaluate your judgment in light of your personal values, such as those related to empathy, fairness, justice, connection or integrity.
If you become aware that the influence of the fundamental attribution error could have negative consequences for yourself or others, take steps to mitigate its effects.
⚒️ See situations from the viewpoint of others
Taking the perspective of others can serve as an antidote to the influence of the fundamental attribution error.
When was the last time you considered someone else's perspective?
Perspective taking is a cognitive form of empathy that allows a person to see situations from the viewpoint of others, taking into account their thoughts, feelings, and circumstances. Putting yourself in the shoes of others means actively and curiously trying to consider their perspectives. This can lead to a better understanding of the circumstances that may have influenced their actions. Were they in a hurry? Were they tired? Were there any unexpected technical problems? Do they have financial or emotional problems? Do they lack a strong support network? Perspective taking can help you gain a more accurate and nuanced view of the behaviour of others, reducing the tendency of jumping to conclusions solely based on assumed personality flaws.
It’s easy to attribute other people’s behaviour to some permanent personality trait. But it’s hard to keep feeling that way once you consider how you’d feel and act in their position. If the roles were reversed, you would probably want other people to understand that your mistakes don’t necessarily reflect who you are as a person.
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We tend to overestimate the role of personality traits and underestimate the role of environmental influences in explaining the behaviour of others. This can lead to unfair judgements of others, resulting in misunderstandings, conflict, and unjust treatment. Taking the perspective of others can serve as an antidote to the influence of the fundamental attribution error.
References
The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli
The Fundamental Attribution Error: Why Predicting Behavior is so Hard, Farnam Street
Decoding the Fundamental Attribution Error, Psychology Today, Dr. Jessica Koehler Ph.D.
My blogposts about biases and heuristics are available here:
https://www.a3lifedesign.com/blog-english/category/Biases
