The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to over-attribute other people's behavior to their character or personality while under-attributing it to situational factors — and doing the reverse for our own behavior.

The Core Asymmetry

• When someone cuts you off in traffic: "They're a terrible driver / selfish person"
• When you cut someone off: "I was distracted / running late / they came out of nowhere"

Why We Do It

Other people's behavior is what we observe — we naturally explain behavior by what we see (the person). Our own behavior we experience from the inside, where we have full access to situational pressures and context.

Consequences

• Harsh judgment of others combined with excessive self-excuse
• Poor management — attributing team failure to people rather than systems
• Damaged relationships — interpreting neutral behavior as intentional slight

Antidote

Before judging someone's behavior, ask: What situation might explain this?

Reference:

Wikipedia: Fundamental Attribution Error

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error