In interviewing a new employee, you find that they won't shake your hand, they don't make eye contact with you, and they speak so quietly you can barely hear them. In determining the reason for their behavior, you are most likely to __________.

Question

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Making an attribution involves trying to determine the cause of someone's behavior. In this scenario, the interviewer is trying to determine why the new employee is behaving in a particular way (not shaking hands, avoiding eye contact, speaking softly). By making an attribution, the interviewer can develop a hypothesis about the reasons why the employee is behaving this way. For example, the employee may be shy or anxious, or they may come from a culture where not making eye contact is a sign of respect. Developing a schema, using a judgmental heuristic, or applying an implicit personality theory would not necessarily help the interviewer understand the specific reasons for the employee's behavior.

In Interviewing a New Employee, You Find That They Won't