Your coworker John starts crying during a meeting. You assume this is because a family member was involved in an accident. In this case, you have formed an attribution that is
A) external and unstable.
B) external and stable.
C) internal and unstable.
D) internal and stable.
E) external and fluctuating.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An internal attribution is when someone's behavior is caused by a particular characteristic of themselves. An external attribution is when someone's behavior is caused by something outside of themselves. In this case, your coworker's behavior is due to something external: his family member's accident. A second dimension of attributions is whether the cause of a behavior is stable or unstable. A stable cause is one that is permanent, semipermanent, or at least not easily changed. An unstable cause is something that is unpredictable. In this case, your coworker's behavior is due to something unstable because accidents are rare and largely unpredictable.

Your Coworker John Starts Crying During a Meeting