Brett, a marketing associate at Brix Inc., got stuck in a massive traffic jam while commuting to work. Consequently, he missed an important meeting with a potential client. Ethan, his manager, was furious. He assumed that Brett missed the meeting because he was irresponsible and lazy. In this scenario, Ethan's perception of Brett represents a _____.
A) selective attribution error
B) defensive bias
C) self-serving bias
D) fundamental attribution error

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ethan's assumption about Brett's behavior is an example of fundamental attribution error, where one tends to attribute others' behavior to internal, stable factors rather than situational factors. In this case, Ethan assumed that Brett's behavior was due to his lazy and irresponsible personality, rather than considering external factors such as traffic jam.

Brett, a Marketing Associate at Brix Inc