Full Idea
We significantly overestimate the role of character traits in explaining and predicting people's action: the so-called Fundamental Attribution error.
Gist of Idea
We over-estimate the role of character traits when explaining behaviour
Source
Peter Goldie (The Emotions [2000], 6 'Traits')
Book Reference
Goldie,Peter: 'The Emotions' [OUP 2002], p.152
A Reaction
I think this point is incredibly important in daily life. 'When someone shows you who they are, believe them!' is a good thought. But we must distinguish the deeply revealing moment from the transient superficial one.
Related Idea
Idea 15701 Nouns seem to invoke stable kinds more than predicates do [Gelman]