The fundamental attribution error occurs when __________.

• A. people recognize the influence of situational factors on others' behavior
• B. people attribute their own behavior to dispositional causes more than situational causes
• C. people overemphasize dispositional factors and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behavior
• D. people attribute their own successes to internal factors and failures to external factors

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the fundamental attribution error is a concept in social psychology related to how people explain others' behavior.
2. Recognize that this error involves a bias where people tend to overemphasize dispositional (internal) factors, such as personality traits, when explaining others' actions.
3. Note that simultaneously, people tend to underestimate the influence of situational (external) factors, such as environmental or contextual influences, on others' behavior.
4. Contrast this with how people often explain their own behavior, where they might consider situational factors more readily or attribute successes and failures differently.
5. Summarize that the fundamental attribution error specifically refers to the tendency to attribute others' behavior more to who they are (disposition) rather than the situation they are in.