Correspondence Bias

Correspondence bias, also known as the fundamental attribution error, is the tendency to attribute others' behaviors to their personality rather than situational factors.

An experiment to confirm this bias found that participants assumed essays reflected the writers' true beliefs, even when they knew the writers had no choice in their stance.

Another study found that while people explain their actions based on external circumstances, they judge others based on personality traits, reinforcing the correspondence bias.

Cultural norms also affect attribution. Fundamental attribution errors are more common in individualistic Western societies than in collectivist Asian cultures.

Psychological explanations indicate that individuals focus on a person’s actions rather than the surrounding context, leading to biased judgments.

Another explanation suggests a two-step process in which individuals first make a quick, automatic internal attribution about others' actions, followed by a weaker and more effortful adjustment for external circumstances.