Paulo was laid off from his job over six months ago and, even though he has applied for more than 40 positions since then, he is still out of work. His landlord believes that Paulo must be lazy because, if he were truly motivated, he would have found a job by now. Which of the following is illustrated by the landlord's explanation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The landlord's explanation illustrates defensive attribution, where people attribute others' failures to their own actions or characteristics to protect themselves from feeling vulnerable to the same fate.

Paulo Was Laid Off from His Job Over Six Months