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GATE 2025 XH5 (Psychology) – Question 36

Social Psychology · Social Perception: Attribution, impression formation, social categorization, implicit personality theory · 1 mark · Multiple choice

The tendency to explain other people’s behavior as the result of personal factors is called __________________.

  1. Fundamental attribution error
  2. Stereotypes
  3. Schemas
  4. Actor-observer bias

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Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: (A) Fundamental attribution error

Explanation

Explaining other people's behaviour by their personal traits and neglecting the situation is the fundamental attribution error. The actor-observer bias is the difference between how we explain our own and others' behaviour.