No. #109
Fundamental Attribution Error
- Misattributing Behaviors
The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to attribute others' behaviors to their character rather than to situational factors, while giving oneself a pass for similar behaviors due to external circumstances. This can lead to misunderstandings and misjudgments in social interactions, teamwork, and user feedback interpretation.
Read more on WikipediaProduct example
A product manager might attribute negative user feedback to users not understanding the product, rather than considering situational factors like poor usability or design flaws.
Empathy tips
Promote Situational Awareness
Encourage awareness of situational factors that might influence behavior or feedback.
Objective Review Processes
Implement objective processes for reviewing feedback and behaviors to avoid bias.
Educate on Attribution
Educate teams on the fundamental attribution error and its impact on interpersonal and user relations.
Encourage Perspective Taking
Facilitate exercises or discussions that promote perspective taking to understand the situational factors affecting others.