Chapter 41, Problem 1MM

Summary Introduction

Concept introduction: The social behavior arises from the social cognition. The behavior may be attributed to the person’s enduring traits or to its situation.

Answer to Problem 1MM

Correct answer: Option a. is given as ‘moral weakness or an addictive personality’. Therefore, option a. is the correct answer.

Explanation of Solution

Reasons for the correct answer:

Overestimating the influence of an individual and underestimating the influence of situation is known as fundamental attribution of error. When studying a person who is affected with high dosage of drugs, generally the thought that comes to mind about that person’s behavior attributes to their moral weakness or an addictive personality. However, it may be situation that influenced them to do so.

Therefore option a. is the correct answer.

Reasons for the incorrect answers:

Option b. is given as “peer pressure”. The fundamental attribution that arises first is about the person’s moral weakness or addictive personality and not the peer pressure.

Therefore, option b. is incorrect.

Option c. is given as “the easy availability of drugs on city streets”. The fundamental attribution that arises first is about the person’s moral weakness or addictive personality and not the easy availability of drugs on city streets.

Therefore, option c. is incorrect.

Option d. is given as “society’s acceptance of drug use”.  The fundamental attribution that arises first is about the person’s moral weakness or addictive personality and not the society’s acceptance of drug use.

Therefore, option d. is incorrect.

Hence, options b., c., and d. are incorrect answers.

Conclusion

When encounter a person whose usage of drugs is high, we make fundamental attribution error that is the person is morally weak or have an addictive personality.