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The term ______ refers to attributing behavior to a cause that is under someone's control. group of answer choices

a. selective attribution
b. situational attribution
c. dispositional attribution
d. external attribution

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Final answer:

c)Dispositional attribution attributes behavior to internal factors under a person's control. It contrasts with situational attribution, which attributes behavior to external factors. These concepts are integral to understanding self-serving bias and fundamental attribution error.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term dispositional attribution refers to attributing behavior to a cause that is under someone's control. It is about assuming that a person's actions are due to their internal characteristics such as their personality, attitudes, or beliefs rather than external situational factors. In contrast, situational attribution is about attributing behavior to external factors like the environment or situational circumstances.

One of the key concepts related to attribution is the self-serving bias, where individuals attribute their successes to internal, dispositional factors ("I'm smart") while attributing their failures to external, situational factors ("The exam was unfair"). This helps to maintain self-esteem. Another relevant concept is the fundamental attribution error (FAE), which occurs when people overemphasize dispositional factors as explanations for other people's behavior, underestimating the influence of situational factors.

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