The ‘ultimate attribution error’? A review of the literature on intergroup causal attribution
Abstract
Studies that examine causal attributions for acts by ingroup and outgroup members are reviewed. The tendency for attributions to favour ingroup over outgroup members is found in three paradigms — explanations for positive and negative outcomes, success and failure, and group differences — and in most of the 19 studies reviewed, but the evidence provides only limited support for Pettigrew's (1979) ‘ultimate attribution error’. The evidence is limited to specific dimensions in a given study, but strongest for three general findings: (1) More internal attribution for positive acts, and less internal attribution for negative acts, by ingroup than outgroup members; (2) More attribution of outgroup than ingroup failure to lack of ability, and ‘explaining away’ outgroup success to good luck, high effort or an easy task; (3) A preference for ingroup‐serving versus outgroup‐serving attributions for group differences. Finally, theoretical issues and methodological shortcomings are discussed with reference to future research.
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In general, people retain information in a more detailed fashion, remember more positive information, and are more forgiving of behaviors for ingroup compared to outgroup members.
“In general, people retain information in a more detailed fashion, remember more positive information, and are more forgiving of behaviors for ingroup compared to outgroup members.102–104”
From Reducing Racial Bias Among Health Care Providers: Lessons from Social-Cognitive Psychology (2007) · cites this paper as [102]
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- Authors
- Hewstone, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Bristol (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Hewstone, Miles
- ORCID
- Hewstone, Miles
- Venue
- European Journal of Social Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1990-07
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 311-335
- ISSN
- 0046-2772 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-0992
- OpenAlex
- W1993847277
- Cited by
- 615
- References
- 87
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 12.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Power and Status Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Keywords
- causal attribution, intergroup relations, in-group favoritism, outgroup favoritism, internal attribution, explaining away, attribution of success and failure, group differences
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