In the context of social thinking, which of the following illustrates a dispositional attribution?

• A. Explaining a neighbor's bad mood as a result of recent bad news.
• B. Believing a friend was late due to heavy traffic.
• C. Thinking a student failed a test because the exam was unfair.
• D. Assuming a coworker missed a deadline because they are lazy.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of dispositional attribution: it refers to explaining someone's behavior based on their internal characteristics, such as personality traits, attitudes, or motives.
2. Review each option and identify whether the explanation attributes behavior to internal factors (dispositional) or external factors (situational).
3. For example, explaining a neighbor's bad mood due to recent bad news is situational because it refers to an external event affecting mood.
4. Believing a friend was late due to heavy traffic is also situational, as it attributes behavior to an external circumstance.
5. Assuming a coworker missed a deadline because they are lazy is dispositional, as it attributes the behavior to an internal trait (laziness).