Questions: In the following case, which cognitive bias, if any, is it reasonable to conclude is occurring in Er? Er is at the shopping center buying a few things. She finishes shopping and is heading towards the exit holding two bags of purchased items in each hand. A man ahead of her exits the building, but does not hold the door open for Er, even though Er is just a meter behind the man. Er immediately thinks that the man is a rude and inconsiderate, selfish person. Later, she comes to return a few of the items. As she is walking to the door, she is wondering whether or not she brought the receipt with her. She walks through the door but does not notice that someone is walking behind her. Er does not hold the door open for the person behind her, and realizes her failure after it is too late. However, Er states reassures herself that she is not selfish and inconsiderate, but that the other person probably ran up behind her as she was walking through the door. Confirmation Bias Actor-Observer Error Availability Heuristic Plausible that there is no cognitive bias. Fundamental Attribution Error

The answer is Fundamental Attribution Error.

Confirmation bias involves favoring information that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or biases. In this scenario, Er is not selectively seeking out information to confirm a belief; rather, she is making a judgment about the man's character based on a single incident.

The actor-observer error refers to the tendency to attribute one's own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to their character. While this is somewhat related, it is not the most precise term for the bias described in the scenario.

The availability heuristic involves making judgments based on how easily examples come to mind. This does not apply to the scenario, as Er's judgment is not based on the frequency or ease of recalling similar events.

Given the details of the scenario, it is clear that a cognitive bias is influencing Er's judgment, so this option is not applicable.

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overemphasize personal characteristics and ignore situational factors when judging others' behavior. In this case, Er immediately concludes that the man is rude and inconsiderate without considering situational factors that might have influenced his behavior. Later, she excuses her own similar behavior by attributing it to situational factors (being preoccupied with the receipt). This fits the definition of the fundamental attribution error.