Which of the following reflects the fundamental attribution error?

• A. Assuming a coworker is late because they are lazy, rather than considering they might have been stuck in traffic.
• B. Believing your own success is due to hard work, but your failures are due to bad luck.
• C. Explaining your own mistakes by blaming external circumstances.
• D. Attributing your friend's mood to the weather instead of their personality.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency to overemphasize personal characteristics (dispositional factors) and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behavior.
2. Identify the example where someone assumes a coworker's lateness is due to laziness (a personal trait) rather than considering external factors like traffic (a situational factor).
3. Recognize that this example illustrates the fundamental attribution error because it highlights the bias toward attributing others' actions to their personality rather than external circumstances.
4. Compare the other options to see if they involve explaining one's own behavior or considering situational factors, which are not examples of the fundamental attribution error.
5. Conclude that the correct choice is the one that shows attributing another person's behavior to internal causes while ignoring external influences.