Notes

The Fundamental Attribution Error, Illustrated

September 19, 2023

The “Fundamental Attribution Error” — the tendency to explain others’ behavior by disposition while explaining our own by context:

  • Person A sees someone speeding: “That man is an idiot for driving above the speed limit.”
  • Person B, who is also speeding: “I am driving above the speed limit because I have a family emergency.”

Same outcome (speeding), but only B attributes it to context.

Originally posted on Twitter, September 2023.

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