What concept explains assigning responsibility for others' behaviors to their inherent characteristics rather than situational factors?

The concept that explains assigning responsibility for others' behaviors to their inherent characteristics rather than situational factors is dispositional attributions. This concept refers to the tendency to perceive a person's actions as a reflection of their personality traits, beliefs, or values, rather than considering external circumstances that may have influenced their behavior.

For example, if someone fails to complete a task, a dispositional attribution might conclude that the person is lazy or incompetent, overlooking potential situational influences such as stress, workload, or external pressures that could have affected their performance. This way of thinking can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate judgments about people's motivations and actions.

The other options focus on different aspects of social psychology. Situational attributions emphasize the impact of external factors on behavior, which is the opposite of dispositional attributions. Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias where individuals favor information that confirms their preexisting beliefs. Diffusion of responsibility relates to how individuals feel less compelled to take action when they are part of a group, rather than focusing on attributing behaviors to personal characteristics. Each of these concepts serves a unique purpose within social psychology, but dispositional attributions specifically capture the essence of blaming behavior on personal traits.