12
QuizMultiple Choice

Attribution Theory

Question 12 • RYLE25 - PSYCHOLOGY - FULL CREDIT

Which of the following is the best demonstration of the fundamental attribution error?

Answer
A
Polly believes that her father is smart because he explained the math problem.
B
Jonathan believes that he is lucky because he aced the math test.
C
Frank believes that Greg’s score suffered because he didn’t sleep well.
D
Lucille believes that she is intelligent because her vocabulary is excellent.

Explanation

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to explain another person’s behavior by their personality or ability while overlooking situational factors. Polly concludes that her father is smart based on his explaining a math problem, which is a dispositional explanation. Frank instead explains Greg’s score by the situation—poor sleep—so that is not the best example.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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