

You have narrowed your interview pool down to a handful of candidates. Let’s say you are the hiring manager at a small business. But does someone’s character explain all behavior? Do we have to use dispositional attribution when making a judgement call? Example of Dispositional Attribution We have all witnessed or even displayed behaviors that speak directly to someone’s, or our own, character. These beliefs confirm the idea that a person’s character is directly linked to their behavior. Individualist societies, like those in the West, are more likely to teach people that each individual is responsible for their own actions. Studies show that individualist societies are more prone to dispositional attribution. It’s not just your brain or my brain, either. If the brain can find an easy explanation for someone’s behavior or conduct, they will accept it. They are constantly making meaning out of events, actions, and behaviors. Our brains do not like to do a lot of work. Not always, but this attribution is often the easiest to accept.

If someone shows up to an interview in unprofessional attire, they’re probably unprofessional, right? If someone shows up late, they’re unprofessional, right? At first glance, this seems like an obvious choice. What Is the Difference Between Dispositional Attribution and Situational Attribution?ĭispositional attribution takes place when you attribute someone’s actions to their character or personality. Situational attribution is often confused with dispositional attribution, which in many ways is the opposite process. When you use situational attribution, you “blame” the world at large rather than the person exhibiting the behavior. These external factors could be as specific as the traffic on the road to as broad as a global pandemic. Situational attribution is the process of attributing someone’s behavior to external factors. Be Mindful of Your Attribution What Is Situational Attribution?
