tags: #publish links: [[Cognitive Biases]] created: 2022-07-28 Thu --- # Fundamental attribution error A cognitive bias: we attribute different causes for outcomes caused by other people vs caused by ourselves. **We are inclined to judge others, but excuse ourselves.** As expressed nicely in [[How organisations are like slime mould]]: > If I'm late for coffee with you, it's because of traffic: *systemic factors* > If you're late for coffee with me, it's because you don't value others' time: *intrinsic qualities* We overestimate the importance of intrinsic qualities (bad person, incompetent, lazy) in others' failures.