Fans of a television medical program sometimes stop one of the actors on the street to ask for medical advice. Why?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency for people to overemphasize dispositional explanations for other people's behavior rather than considering situational factors. In this case, fans of a medical television program may ask an actor for medical advice because they believe the actor actually possesses medical knowledge due to their role on the show, even though the actor may not have any medical expertise in real life. This is an example of overemphasizing the dispositional factor of the actor's role as a medical professional on the show, rather than considering the situational factor of the actor's actual knowledge and training in real life.

Fans of a Television Medical Program Sometimes Stop One of the Actors