Which of the following illustrates a common type of attribution error?
A) When Tina notices a student next to her has gotten a higher grade than she did, Tina assumes the professor must, for some reason, really like that student.
B) Nicolette notices a group of students talking loudly and animatedly and assumes they must be excited about something, so she walks over to find out what is happening.
C) Syed has been very busy with the social aspects of college and has not studied much. When his grades are not what he hoped for, he acknowledges it was because he hadn't studied.
D) Kaden is participating in a social service project, and as he serves food at a shelter for homeless men, he wonders what circumstances in their lives led them to be homeless.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario illustrates a common type of attribution error known as the fundamental attribution error. Tina is assuming that the student's higher grade is due to the professor's favoritism rather than considering other factors such as the student's effort, studying habits or intelligence.

Which of the Following Illustrates a Common Type of Attribution