Avoiding Fundamental Attribution Errors (FAE)
The purpose of this assignment is to promote understanding of the Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE). The FAE is the common tendency to underestimate situational factors and overestimate dispositional (personality) factors when explaining behavior. By considering situational attributions, you may be able to reduce misperceptions that sometimes lead to conflict or retaliation in response to negative behaviors (Sadler, Lineberger, Correll, & Park, 2005). Reducing FAE may also lead to greater compassion and willingness to assist those in need (Gilovich & Eibach, 2001; Myers, 2008). Before beginning the assignment, review the sections in your textbook where the FAE is discussed to be sure you completely understand it: pages 8-9; 18; 88-96; 102; and 381-382; 394. [This assignment is adapted from Daniel R. Stalder, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Social Psychology Network Website.]
Implementation
Each of us needs to be open to the possibility of our own biases in order to reduce them, even though people commit the FAE to different degrees. We also need to be aware of thinking that only other people commit FAE.
In this assignment you will consider situational as well as dispositional attributions for other people's negative behaviors. The heart of the assignment is a journal in which you will record five instances of others' negative behavior toward you (over about 10 days). These should be "cases in which someone behaves negatively or aggressively toward you or otherwise mistreats you in some way." For each behavior, you are to list three possible causes: two situational and one personality. You will also complete some multiple choice and self-report questions. (Note: There is a question about situational characteristics contributing to acts of terrorism as an example to expand your thinking. You may hold strong dispositional views about terrorists, e.g., that terrorists are evil. If you object to the idea that highly negative behaviors such as terrorism can have situational causes, that is fine. Situational factors do not "excuse" terrorism, but the best way to understand and prevent terrorism is by considering all its possible causes. After the exercise, you are not expected to change your beliefs about what truly led to any behaviors explored in the assignment. You are asked to consider what social psychologists call the "FEA," and what many people are resistant to believe: that individual behavior can be more powerfully influenced by the social environment than by personality factors.)
Avoiding Fundamental Attribution Errors (FAE)
Instructions: Cut and copy all the pages of this worksheet into your own word processing program. Place all your answers on this form. Place a check next to the best answer where appropriate, and complete the short-answer items. (Do not worry about formatting or alignment.) Each item is worth 1 point or as noted.
1. Suppose you're at the store asking a clerk a question, and the clerk speaks abruptly to you. There are at least two possible reasons: something about the clerk's disposition (e.g., mood/personality) or something about the situation. If you are like most people, you might initially commit the fundamental attribution error and assume that:
A. the clerk is a rude person.
B. the clerk is having a stressful day.
C. you said something that accidentally offended the clerk.
D. either B or C
2. Suppose you're walking down an alley in a large city and see someone sleeping who appears to be homeless. You may wonder to yourself, "Why is this person homeless?" If you were to commit the fundamental attribution error, which of the following explanations might be your answer?
A. The local economy is in bad shape, closing plants and laying off workers.
B. Maybe this person's home burned down recently, and the government has not yet acted to
help.
C. Homeless people tend to be lazy or too irresponsible to hold down a job.
D. Either A or B could be your reason.
3. According to the textbook, situational factors might help explain:
A. why some minority group members score lower than Whites on academic achievement tests
B. atrocities such as ethnic cleansing and genocide
C. reckless driving behavior
D. all of the above
4. In addition to the examples above (e.g., homelessness), what are some other predicaments or instances of suffering that might be caused by situational factors as well as personality characteristics? Provide at least three examples.
Example #1:
Example #2:
Example #3:
5. For each of the following items, write a number using the 7-point scale below.
Not at all 1---------2---------3---------4---------5---------6---------7 A great degree
To what degree are you open to the possibility that you yourself might sometimes commit the FAE when you explain someone's behavior?
To what degree do you desire to "improve" in terms of how you explain others' behaviors?
After learning about the FAE, to what degree do you feel that you can now consider possible situational factors when someone acts negatively or aggressively against you?
To what degree have you thought about the FAE outside of class?
6. For this assignment you need to think about the FAE outside of class. The following are some places to think about the FAE and about the existence of situational factors in explaining others' behaviors. Place a checkmark next to each place in which you've already thought about these issues. (Feel free to check "none" if that is accurate.)
#While driving # while shopping
#While in other classes or at work # other:
#While spending time with family/friends # none
7. Between now and the due date, pay attention to instances in which someone behaves negatively or aggressively toward you or otherwise mistreats you in some way (it can be minor or very serious). Record 5 such instances on the chart on the last page. Describe the observed negative behavior against you, and then list 1 possible cause based on the disposition of the "aggressor" and 2 possible situational causes. Even if the situational cause seems unlikely, if it is possible, go ahead and list it, but try to be realistic (e.g., if someone cuts you off on the highway, it is possible but not realistic that the driver was receiving a telepathic communication from an alien at that moment - do not list this possibility).
Keep in mind that explaining mistreatment is not a black-and-white issue. That is, bad behavior can be caused by a combination of disposition and situational factors rather than either one alone, so if you think that another driver is reckless or stupid, that might be true, but in addition to that factor there might still be situational causes contributing to the negative outcome (e.g., a medical emergency).
~Complete the items below after completing the chart on last attached page.~
8. Research shows that people who commit the FAE are less likely than others to help a homeless or poor person. We are less likely to help those in need if we think they are lazy or otherwise responsible for their predicament. Thus, reducing the FAE might not only reduce conflict and negative emotions (e.g., anger) but also increase helpfulness and compassion. Do you notice these effects in yourself? Answer the following items using the 7-point scale below.
Not at all 1---------2---------3---------4---------5---------6---------7 A great degree
- Degree that knowledge of the FAE or of situational factors made you less upset or less defensive in response to someone's negative behavior toward you (as in your examples above).
- Degree that knowledge of the FAE or of situational factors made you less judgmental (i.e., less likely to judge the other person negatively).
- Degree that you think the existence of the FAE and of situational factors should make us less judgmental.
- Degree that you think such knowledge can make you feel more compassion for those in tough predicaments.
- Degree you would be willing to consider situational factors to explain terrorist attacks against Americans (in addition to or in place of the terrorists being "evil").
- Degree that this assignment made you more reflective in explaining others' negative behaviors.
- Degree that you predict your behavior related to FAE might be changed one month from now.
9. Write two paragraphs summarizing your experience with this paper and/or describing your thoughts from doing this assignment.