Even though it was clear that another student, Raul, accidentally pushed Noah, he insisted that the Raul did it on purpose. What phenomenon is this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is known as hostile attributional bias, which refers to the tendency to interpret someone else's behavior as intentionally aggressive or negative, even if there is no evidence to support that interpretation. In this case, Noah is assuming that Raul meant to push him, despite the fact that it was an accident.

Even Though It Was Clear That Another Student, Raul, Accidentally