What is the tendency to overestimate the influence of personality on human behavior called?

The correct choice refers to the "Fundamental Attribution Error," which is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to overemphasize personality traits while underestimating the situational factors that influence others' behavior. This tendency is particularly strong when people observe behaviors in others; they often believe that these behaviors are a reflection of who they are as individuals, rather than considering external circumstances that may have shaped their actions.

For example, if someone is late to a meeting, an observer might conclude that the individual is disorganized or irresponsible, ignoring possible situational factors such as traffic or personal emergencies. This inclination to attribute behavior to inherent character traits demonstrates how pervasive the fundamental attribution error can be in our social interactions and judgments.

Attribution Theory encompasses the broader study of how individuals interpret events and how this relates to their thinking and behavior, but it does not specifically address the bias of overestimating personal influence. The concept of the Self-fulfilling Prophecy describes a scenario where a person's expectations about another individual cause them to act in a way that leads to the expected behavior, but does not directly pertain to the tendency of overestimating personality factors. Locus of Control refers to the degree to which people believe that they have control over the outcomes of