Effects of Culture and Debate Experience on the Fundamental Attribution Error

Abstract

The tendency to make the fundamental attribution error was investigated in two experimental groups: high school debaters and international students. Despite their experience arguing assigned positions, the debaters committed the fundamental attribution error by estimating that an author believed an opinion he had been assigned to express. The international students did not commit this error. The subjects were equally confident in their assessments of the author's opinion whether the essay position was assigned or chosen by the author. Implications of the fundamental attribution error are discussed.