Correspondence Bias

Correspondence bias (also known as the fundamental attribution error) is the tendency to overestimate the the contribution of lasting traits and dispositions in determining people's behavior, as compared to situational effects. We might see someone kicking a vending machine, and conclude they're an inherently angry person. But maybe they just failed a test, had their driving license revoked, and had the machine eat their money for the third time this week. We think of the other person as an evil mutant and ourselves as righteous actors.

"DT Gilbert, PS Malone (1995) The Correspondence Bias", paper by Gilbert and Malone(Bias (PDF)

("The Correspondence Bias", paper by Gilbert and Malone(PDF)

Blog posts

• Correspondence Bias by Eliezer Yudkowsky
• Are Your Enemies Innately Evil? by Eliezer Yudkowsky

See also

• Availability heuristic
• Human universal, Typical mind fallacy

See also

• Availability heuristic
• Human universal, Typical mind fallacy

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Correspondence bias (also known as fundamental attribution error) is the tendency to overestimate the the contribution of lasting traits and dispositions in determining people's behavior, as compared to situational effects. Kicking a malfunctioning vending machine might be perceived by standerby as the action of an inherently angry person. Yet when we kick a vending machine, it is the obviously justified result of our failing grade on a test, the revocation of our driving license and the machine eating our money for the third time this week. We think of the other person as an evil mutant and ourselves as righteous actors.

Correspondence bias (also known as fundamental attribution error) is the tendency to overestimate the the contribution of lasting traits and dispositions in determining people's behavior, as compared to situational effects. Kicking a malfunctioingmalfunctioning vending machine might be perceived by standerby as the action of an inherently angry person. Yet when we kick a vending machine, it is the obviously justified result of our failing grade on a test, the revocation of our driving license and the machine eating our money for the third time this week. We think of the other person as an evil mutant and ourselves as righteous actors.