William is constantly searching for employment, but has yet to be hired. While William is outside in the unemployment line, a woman yells at him as she drives by, "Get a job, you lazy bum!" Her assumption about William is an example of the __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The woman's assumption about William is an example of the fundamental attribution error, which refers to people's tendency to overemphasize dispositional (internal) explanations for others' behavior and to downplay situational (external) factors. In this case, the woman assumes that William is unemployed because he is lazy, rather than considering factors such as a lack of job openings or economic hardship.

William Is Constantly Searching for Employment, but Has Yet to Be