According to research on attributions, people are most likely to apply the fundamental attribution error to which of the following situations?

• A. Explaining their own failures
• B. Explaining the behavior of others, especially strangers
• C. Explaining the behavior of close friends or family members
• D. Explaining their own successes

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the fundamental attribution error (FAE): it is the tendency for people to overemphasize dispositional or personality-based explanations for others' behavior while underestimating situational factors.
2. Identify the key aspect of FAE: it typically occurs when explaining the behavior of others, especially those who are not closely known to us, such as strangers.
3. Recognize that when people explain their own failures or successes, they are more likely to consider situational factors rather than making dispositional attributions, which is the opposite of FAE.
4. Note that explaining the behavior of close friends or family members often involves more situational understanding due to familiarity, so FAE is less likely to be applied.
5. Conclude that the situation most associated with the fundamental attribution error is explaining the behavior of others, especially strangers, because people tend to attribute their actions to internal traits rather than external circumstances.