What do we call an inference made about the cause of someone's behavior?

The appropriate term for an inference made about the cause of someone's behavior is "attributions." In social psychology, attributions refer to the process through which individuals interpret and explain the behavior of themselves and others. This can involve determining whether someone's actions are due to internal factors, like personality traits or intentions, or external factors, such as situational influences or environmental conditions.

Understanding attributions is essential, as it plays a crucial role in how people perceive and interact with one another. For instance, if someone is late to a meeting, one might attribute their tardiness to their lack of punctuality (an internal attribution) or to unexpected traffic conditions (an external attribution). This distinction can profoundly impact interpersonal relationships and social judgments.

The other concepts listed do not pertain to causation of behavior in the same way. Belief perseverance refers to the tendency to hold on to one's beliefs even in the face of contrary evidence. The bystander effect describes a phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when others are present. Cognitive load pertains to the amount of mental effort being used in working memory. These terms capture different aspects of social psychology but do not specifically relate to the process of attributing behavior to causes.