Jason's performance at work was declining as he had to meet unrealistic targets daily. Though he was able to meet his targets, the quality of his work was not very good. His supervisor assumed that this was due to a lack of concentration and laziness. This scenario is an instance of a _____.
A) stereotyping error
B) halo effect
C) fundamental attribution error
D) projection error
E) self-serving bias

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of the fundamental attribution error, which is the tendency to attribute behavior to internal factors (such as personality) rather than external factors (such as the situation). The supervisor assumes that Jason's declining performance is due to the internal factor of laziness, rather than considering the external factors of unrealistic targets and workload.

Jason's Performance at Work Was Declining as He Had to Meet