Fundamental Attribution Error
Character vs Circumstance
We judge others by their character but excuse ourselves by our circumstances. Invert this assumption for better relationships and code reviews.
The Attribution Asymmetry
"When others fail, we blame their character. When we fail, we blame the situation."
Lee Ross discovered this systematic bias in how we explain behavior. We overweight personality when judging others and overweight circumstances when judging ourselves. Both perspectives are valid—but we apply them asymmetrically.
The Double Standard
When THEY Fail
"They missed the deadline because...
- • They're lazy
- • They don't care
- • They're incompetent
- • They're unprofessional
→ Character Attribution (Dispositional)
When I Fail
"I missed the deadline because...
- • The requirements changed
- • I was waiting on another team
- • There was a production fire
- • The tooling broke
→ Circumstance Attribution (Situational)
The Antidote
"Give others the circumstantial understanding you give yourself"
Before assuming character flaws, ask: "What circumstances could explain this?"
For Code Reviews
When you see bad code, your first instinct is "they don't know what they're doing." But consider: Were they under deadline? Did they lack context? Was this a quick fix they meant to revisit? Apply the same understanding you'd want on your "quick fixes."