The group attribution error is a cognitive bias in which people assume either that the traits, attitudes or preferences of one member of a group are representative of the group as a whole, or that the outcome of a group's collective decision must reflect the preferences of its individual members, even when other information suggests the outcome had a different cause. It is often described as a group-level counterpart to the fundamental attribution error, which concerns misjudging individual behavior, extended here to misjudging what a group's behavior or an individual group member says about the group generally. The psychologists Ruth Hamill, Richard Nisbett and Timothy Wilson described the first of these two patterns in a 1980 study, and the psychologists Scott Allison and David Messick described the second pattern in a 1985 study.
Facts
Core ClaimPeople assume that the traits or preferences of one member of a group are representative of the group as a whole, or that a group's collective decision must reflect the preferences of its individual members, even when other information suggests a different cause. 1 First Described Year Classification
Type of Phenomenon Connections
In Branch
Source Wikipedia: Group attribution error
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Group attribution error
Wikimedia FoundationTypology section introduction
The group attribution error shares an attribution bias analogous to the fundamental attribution error. Rather than focusing on individual's behavior, it relies on group outcomes and attitudes as its main basis for conclusions.
Etymology section
The group attribution error has been referred as a term since 1985 by Scott T. Allison and David M. Messick after evaluating numerous researches made between 1970 and 1985.
lead section, phenomenon-kind classification
The group attribution error is a cognitive bias in which people assume either that the traits, attitudes or preferences of one member of a group are representative of the group as a whole, or that the outcome of a group's collective decision must reflect the preferences of its individual members, even when other information suggests the outcome had a different cause.
In Branch: Cognitive Psychology, Categories
Wikipedia article 'Group attribution error' is filed under Category:Cognitive biases.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.