Final answer:
The fundamental attribution error is a cognitive bias that causes people to incorrectly attribute causality of events and circumstances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fundamental attribution error is a tendency for people to attribute causality of events and circumstances incorrectly due to a cognitive bias. This bias leads individuals to attribute the behavior of others to dispositional or internal factors, while overlooking situational influences. For example, if someone sees a person being rude to a cashier, they may attribute it to the person being inherently rude, without considering that the person may be having a bad day or experiencing some sort of stress.