The fundamental attribution error is a cognitive bias that occurs when people tend to over-emphasize individual characteristics and ignore situational factors in explaining other people’s behavior. This means that people often attribute the behavior of others to their personality or disposition, rather than considering the context or situation in which the behavior occurred. For example, if someone cuts in front of us in line, we might assume that they are rude or inconsiderate, rather than considering that they might be in a hurry or dealing with a difficult situation. This error is called “fundamental” because it is a basic tendency that people have when making judgments about others.
