Helping Students Understand the Fundamental Attribution Error

Abstract: Fundamental attribution error (FAE) is often included in the a management or organizational behavior course. However, definitions of FAE are necessarily bookish, and textbook examples of FAE might not always be most relevant to students’ thinking about work. This exercise helps students understand FAE by encouraging them to think through classroom behaviors and take different perspectives. After working through this exercise, students should have a better understanding of FAE as well as some clearer ideas of how behaviors might be perceived differently. During the debrief, instructors can leverage the new student perspectives as a takeoff point for facilitating a conversation about healthy classroom norms.