The cognitive process of deciding who or what caused an event is:

A) attribution.
B) balance theory.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) confirmation bias.

Attribution

The process by which individuals explain the causes of their own and others' behaviors and events.

Balance Theory

A theory in social psychology that explains how individuals maintain their attitudes and beliefs in harmony to avoid cognitive dissonance, focusing on triadic relationships between an individual, another person, and an object or idea.

Cognitive Dissonance

A psychological phenomenon involving discomfort experienced by an individual who holds contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously.