Question

Siboan and David both got D's on their recent chemistry tests. Siboan believes David's grade is poor because he doesn't pay attention in class and failed to study adequately, while her own grade is due to her hectic work schedule. This is an example of:

Answer 1

Siboan believes David's D on the chemistry test is due to personal failings, while her own D is because of external factors, illustrating the fundamental attribution error. This error showcases how people explain their own actions by external circumstances and others' actions by their personality.

Step-by-step explanation:

Siboan and David both received D's on their chemistry tests. Siboan attributes David's poor grade to internal factors such as not paying attention and inadequate studying, while she attributes her own poor grade to external factors, like her hectic work schedule. This tendency to explain one's own failures by external factors and others’ failures by internal factors is known as the fundamental attribution error. This is a psychological concept where individuals attribute their own actions to external circumstances and others' actions to their personality or character. Student performance on chemistry tests can indeed be influenced by a variety of factors which include being in class, work ethic, innate ability, socioeconomic status, and family responsibilities among others. The situation presented with Siboan and David is an example of how individuals perceive and judge their own and others' performances differently based on their circumstances and viewpoints.