Fundamental Attribution Error

The fundamental attribution error (FAE) is the tendency to explain our own and others behavior in terms of personality traits. This is an easy trap that is used by everyone to explain social behavior. As events occur in a person’s life they try to understand other’s behavior particularly human mistakes. When a person uses FAE they attribute too much to a person’s character and disposition. They don’t research the situation thoroughly or in context. To not fall into the FAE trap a person needs to be more balanced in explaining social behavior and or have a more accepting view of events. The Native American Indian explained FAE in the form of folk wisdom. They said “Don’t judge a man till you have walked 2 moons in his moccasins”. This is their way of seeking to comprehend social situations and behaviors in a logical way.

FAE is used by society throughout any given day multiple times. Using a folk wisdom that is a form of FAE would be “The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree”. I have experienced an example of this folk wisdom utilized by school faculty and staff to explain the behavior of one of my male school mates. Stuart is a 17 year old troubled teen. He has exhibited many signs and symptoms of an antisocial behavior and I have been told that this is his diagnosis. He has destroyed property, is agitated, has poor school performance, has disregard for others, does risky behavior and can be violent. When his situation is discussed among adults the folk wisdom of “the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree” is used to explain away his behavior. He lives in a small town, attends a small school and everyone in the area has known his family for years. Both his mother and father are alcoholics with violent outbursts and angry brawls. Even though this folk wisdom may be partially true very few people really ever attempted to figure out what was going on with him. He developed at a very young age a mistrust of his parents due to their alcoholism. The father was absent most of the time and physically abusive when he was home. His mother was a very weak mother figure and drank to solve her problems. He told me all of this and told me that he could never rely on anyone and if he asked he was ignored or beaten. He became very angry, distrustful and became misconnected from everyone especially after a sudden tragic death of his older sibling. He said his parents continued to drink to the point of being unconscious and all they ever talked about was his sister who was killed. He told me that he felt no one really ever cared about or loved him. In Stuart’s situation it appears that everyone attributed his problems to his family’s character and disposition but has not examined his life’s experiences and possible contributing factors to his antisocial behavior. He is currently incarcerated, receiving excessive psychotherapy and medication. Any time his name is mentioned the folk wisdom “The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree” is stated one more time. This example of folk wisdom has utilized the FAE.