Attribution
An explanation people construct for behavior or an event.
Definition
An attribution is an inferred explanation of why a behavior or event occurred, including explanations emphasizing the person or the situation.
How to understand it
An internal explanation might invoke a disposition or intention; an external explanation might invoke circumstances. These explanations can be more or less justified by evidence. Social psychology studies systematic attribution patterns, including overemphasizing personal characteristics while overlooking situational constraints when interpreting other people’s behavior.
A useful exercise is to separate an observation from the explanation attached to it. Then generate plausible alternatives and identify evidence that would distinguish them. Doing so does not establish that the first explanation was false. It makes explicit how much of the account was observed and how much was inferred.
Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020)
A late contribution
Teaching scenario
In this fictional example, a contributor uploads a project section two hours late. A teammate concludes that the contributor is careless. Another asks whether the file service was unavailable or whether the deadline was communicated clearly. Later records show that the contributor attempted an upload before the deadline. The original lateness remains an observation, but the explanation now requires revision. This scenario illustrates attribution under incomplete information. It does not imply that every missed deadline has an external cause or that personal responsibility is irrelevant.
Constructed for learning. This scenario is not a report of an empirical finding or a diagnosis.
Common confusion: Personality trait
A trait describes a pattern of individual differences; an attribution is an explanation for a particular event, sometimes invoking a trait.
Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020)
Limits of the concept
- An attribution is an inference, not direct access to another person’s motives.
- Attribution patterns vary with context, information, and cultural practices.
Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020)
Textbook connection
Direct coveragePsychology 2e: 12.1 What Is Social Psychology?
The subsection explicitly discusses this concept.
Supplementary concepts may extend beyond this section. The source notes below identify the evidence for those details.
Related concepts
Check understanding · Inspect how psychological evidence is built
Sources and inspection notes
Checked October 21, 2026. An inspection date is not a source publication date. Definitions and scenarios on this page are original teaching explanations.
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/12-1-what-is-social-psychologyCourse textbook subsection
Title, URL, and relevant subsection text inspected on 21 October 2026. Used for concept checking and course navigation; no textbook exercises or illustrations reproduced.