Fundamental Attribution Error

The Fundamental Attribution Error is a psychological concept that describes our tendency to overemphasize personal traits when explaining someone else’s behavior while downplaying situational factors. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic, you might think they’re a rude person. However, you might not consider they could be rushing to an emergency. This bias can lead to misunderstandings and misjudgments in social interactions as we often overlook the context influencing others’ actions. Recognizing this error can help us be more empathetic and understanding in our assessments of people's behavior.