What is the term for behaviors that we observe in others attributed to internal characteristics?

The term that describes behaviors observed in others as being attributed to internal characteristics is internal attribution. This concept is a key part of attribution theory, which examines how individuals interpret and understand the causes of behavior. Internal attribution is when we assume that a person's behavior is due to their personality traits, beliefs, or emotions. For example, if someone fails a test, we might think it’s because they are not smart or did not study hard enough, attributing their failure to their personal qualities.

This stands in contrast to external attribution, where behaviors are attributed to situational factors or outside influences. For instance, if the same person failed the test due to having a family emergency, that would be an external attribution. The fundamental attribution error occurs when people overemphasize internal characteristics while downplaying external factors when explaining others' behaviors, which illustrates a bias in interpreting actions. Situational attribution similarly focuses on external influences but does not encompass the overall psychological framework of attributing behavior as internal traits does. Hence, recognizing the distinction between internal and external attributions is crucial for understanding human behavior and social psychology.