According to attribution theory, the explanations we create for our behavior and the behavior of others generally fall into two categories. Describe these two categories. In your essay, discuss key concepts in attribution theory, such as the fundamental attribution error.

According to attribution theory, the explanations we create for our behavior and the behavior of others generally fall into two categories: internal attributions and external attributions.

Internal attributions refer to explanations based on the internal characteristics of an individual, such as their personality, abilities, or attitudes. For example, if someone is late to a meeting, an internal attribution might be that they are lazy or disorganized.

External attributions, on the other hand, refer to explanations based on external factors, such as the situation or environment. For example, if someone is late to a meeting, an external attribution might be that there was heavy traffic or an unexpected delay.

Key concepts in attribution theory include the fundamental attribution error, which is the tendency for people to overemphasize internal attributions for the behavior of others while underemphasizing the role of external factors. This means that we often attribute the behavior of others to their personality or character, rather than considering the situational factors that may have influenced their behavior.

Other key concepts in attribution theory include the actor-observer bias, which is the tendency for individuals to attribute their own behavior to external factors while attributing the behavior of others to internal factors, and self-serving bias, which is the tendency for individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors and their failures to external factors.

Overall, attribution theory provides a framework for understanding how we explain behavior, both our own and that of others, and the biases and errors that can occur in these explanations.