AAMC FL Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Resources.

The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency for people to place more emphasis on personal characteristics or dispositions when explaining the behavior of others, rather than considering the situational factors that may have influenced that behavior.

When people observe someone else's actions, they often assume that these actions are due to inherent qualities of that person, such as their personality traits, rather than recognizing that external circumstances could be playing a significant role. For instance, if someone sees a co-worker being short-tempered, they might conclude that the co-worker is an angry person without realizing that the co-worker might be experiencing stress from a heavy workload or personal issues.

This bias leads individuals to underestimate the influence of situational conditions, which is central to understanding the fundamental attribution error. Thus, the correct characterization of this phenomenon highlights the tendency to overlook how context shapes behavior while focusing predominantly on individual characteristics.