MixedNuts comments on Correspondence Bias - Less Wrong

40 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 25 June 2007 12:58AM

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Comment author: MixedNuts 06 June 2011 02:47:31PM 9 points [-]

There is a further, independent bias in stranger-modelling [original research]. Not only do people assume persistent traits, they tend to assume the worst possible traits. For example, upon seeing a child reading a textbook at the bus stop, people will immediately assume they have a test this morning and are cramming, which stems from a natural inclination to procrastinate.

This can't be explained by correspondence bias alone. You could also assume that they're studious, and are studying for a test in two weeks; that they're anxious, and and are reassuring themselves they've studied enough for the test; that they're bookworms, and reading their textbook for fun. All of these are persistent character traits that could explain the behavior, but the least charitable explanation leaps to mind. Seriously, did you just pass negative judgement on someone you've seen for two seconds as you drove by? What a horrible person you must be!