Fundamental Attribution Error

1) Public compliance is when an individual follows the actions or attitudes of the group, even though they do not personally agree with the group’s actions or attitudes. This social phenomenon is evident in the scene when the students sneak out of the library because Bender wants to go to his locker. The group is clearly uncomfortable with the situation, and Brian verbally communicates this. Despite their personal disagreement with the group sneaking out, they all follow Bender and each other.

2) Fundamental Attribution Error is the tendency for people to think that a person’s behavior and attitudes are due to their personal traits, while ignoring the significance of their situation on their behavior. The teacher Mr. Vernon makes this error when looking at John Bender. We learn as the kids are having lunch that Bender comes from an abusive home, and this would put him at risk for anti-social behavior. However it is evident from how Mr. Vernon treats
When in the library, Bender makes the assumption that Brian is a virgin. Brian, not wanting to confirm the stereotype that all “brains” are virgins, lied and said that he has slept with many people, including Claire. In this situation Bender placed Brian into the stereotype, and Brian lied to make it seem like he was not associated with the negative stereotype.

4) Out-group homogeneity is the idea that members of the out-group are similar to each other, but members of your in-group are diverse. In the beginning of the movie, Claire makes the distinction between academic clubs and “other kinds of clubs” like sports or social clubs. To Bender all the clubs are the same, because he is looking at clubs as an out-group. To Claire however, the clubs at school are diverse, and it is important to make the distinction because academic clubs to her are out groups