Fundamental Attribution Error
NOT ENOUGH MEANINGSYSTEM 1Mental Modeling of Others
Visual Metaphor
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Definition
The tendency for people to under-emphasize situational explanations for an individual's observed behavior while over-emphasizing dispositional and personality-based explanations.
Underlying Mechanism
Attribution Theory
Observable Markers
- He is just
- She's always
- They never
- He's a
- She's such a
- That's just how they are
Examples
- He's late because he's lazy
- She failed because she's not smart
- They're rude because they're a bad person
Insight
Notice: narrative attributes outcome to personality rather than context. Consider situational factors and external circumstances.
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7-Layer Framework Associations
Layer 2Layer 7
Research Notes
Correspondence Bias assumes behavior matches personality; FAE is the general error.
Literal Visualization
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