Question

"look, officer, i didn't see the stop sign back there because the sun was in my eyes." the police officer responds, "you were not paying attention." how would a social psychologist describe this situation? the driver was making an internal attribution; the officer was making an external attribution. both individuals were making external attributions. both individuals were making fundamental attribution errors. the driver was making an external attribution; the officer was making an internal attribution.

Answer 1

Answer: The driver was making a situational attribution; the officer was making a dispositional attribution.

Explanation: Situational attribution is defined as the act of designating the cause of a behaviour to an external source outside an individual's control. It is also known as environmental attribution.

Dispositional attribution is defined as the act of designating the cause of  a behavior to an internal source. That is the inner characteristic of a person.

Answer 2

The answer is "The driver was making an external attribution; the officer was making an internal attribution".

The propensity of assigning the reason or obligation of a specific conduct or activity to external characteristic as opposed to universal trademark is called an external attribution or Situational Attribution.  

The propensity of assigning the reason or duty of a specific conduct or activity to the internal characteristic, instead of to outside powers is called an internal attribution or Dispositional Attribution.