What psychological concept describes the tendency to emphasize personal characteristics over situational factors in explaining others' behavior?

The fundamental attribution error is a key concept in social psychology that illustrates our tendency to prioritize personal traits and characteristics when interpreting the actions of others, while often downplaying or overlooking situational influences. For instance, if someone fails to perform well on a test, one might quickly assume that they are not intelligent or hardworking, rather than considering external factors such as a lack of preparation time or a stressful environment.

This bias highlights an inherent inclination to attribute behaviors to internal dispositions rather than recognizing the complexity of external circumstances that could also shape actions. The fundamental attribution error is significant as it affects interpersonal judgments, affects social interactions, and can contribute to misunderstandings in various contexts, such as in professional settings or social relations.

In contrast, while attribution theory is the broader framework that encompasses all forms of behavioral attribution (including both personal and situational factors), the fundamental attribution error specifically focuses on the imbalance towards personal traits. The self-serving bias relates more to how individuals protect their self-esteem by attributing successes to themselves and failures to external factors, and social judgment theory deals with how individuals form impressions of others and the criteria they use, rather than focusing specifically on behavior attribution.