BLAME THE PERSON? Why We Misjudge Other People's Behaviour

Why do we explain someone else’s mistake by blaming their personality, while giving ourselves a pass because of the circumstances?

In this episode of Circuit Breaker: Rewiring Your Decisions, we explore the Fundamental Attribution Error — our tendency to overemphasise personal traits when explaining other people’s behaviour, while underestimating the situational factors that may have influenced them. We look at how quickly we form judgments, often without knowing the full story.

But how often do we mistake a single action for someone’s whole character? Discover how the Fundamental Attribution Error can shape our impressions, influence our relationships, and remind us why understanding behaviour means looking beyond what we see.

Studies and links:

The Attribution of Attitudes | Edward E. Jones and Victor A. Harris | Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 3, 1-24 (1967) PII: 0022-1031(67)90034-0

Fundamental Attribution Error Theory in Psychology | Simply Psychology Fundamental Attribution Error Theory in Psychology