Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory

Correspondent inference theory explains how individuals try to understand others by analyzing their behavior and making inferences about their stable personality traits.

According to this theory, people are more likely to attribute voluntary behavior to stable personality traits, such as honesty.

Another key factor is “noncommon effects” — effects produced by a particular cause that any other apparent cause could not produce.

For instance, if an individual cancels a vacation to volunteer at a shelter, it suggests they prioritize helping others over personal enjoyment.

Additionally, low social desirable or norm-breaking behavior—such as openly disagreeing with a group—provides more insight into a person’s traits, like independence, because it suggests a strong personal conviction rather than social conformity.

The theory also highlights the risk of misattributions, as people often overlook situational factors and assume behaviors like struggling to answer a question indicate a lack of intelligence without considering that the person might be nervous or distracted.