Attributional biases - Fundamental Attribution Error

Attributional bias

Describe the tendency in particular contexts to make one type of attribution - internal or external - over another 

What are the four types of attributional biases

• WHAT

• WHAT

• WHAT

• WHAT

What are the four types of attributional biases

• Fundamental attribution error

• Actor-Observer Bias

• Self-serving attributions

• Intergroup attributions

The fundamental attribution error

Most people like to make internal rather than external attributions even when there are clear situational forces

The person being observed is the most WHAT aspect of the situation and therefore, an WHAT attribution becomes much more accessible

The person being observed is the most SALIENT aspect of the situation and therefore, an INTERNAL attribution becomes much more accessible

Experiment done by Jones and Harris

• Students either read a pro- or anti- Castro essay

• Even when they knew the student was forced to write a pro-Castro essay the reader still believed that the person was more pro-Castro

Many attribute racial inequality to forces that are WHAT to black people such as poor motivation, inferior abilities.

Many attribute racial inequality to forces that are INTERNAL to black people such as poor motivation, inferior abilities.