The Person and the Situation Book Summary

In 'The Person and the Situation', psychologists Lee Ross and Richard E. Nisbett delve into the powerful interplay between individual behavior and social context. They argue that our understanding of human behavior is often skewed by an overemphasis on personality traits, overlooking the critical influence of situational factors. Through a series of compelling experiments and real-world examples, the authors challenge conventional wisdom about why people act the way they do. This thought-provoking exploration reveals the complexities of human nature and encourages readers to reconsider their judgment of others. Dive into this enlightening read to uncover how our environments shape us in ways we may not even realize!

By Lee Ross, Richard E. Nisbett

Published: 2011

"We often forget that our judgments of others are as much shaped by the situation as they are by the individual’s inherent qualities."

Book Review of The Person and the Situation

How does the situation we're in influence the way we behave and think? Professors Ross and Nisbett eloquently argue that the context we find ourselves in substantially affects our behavior in this timely reissue of one of social psychology's classic textbooks. With a new foreword by Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point.

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We often forget that our judgments of others are as much shaped by the situation as they are by the individual’s inherent qualities.

The Person and the Situation

By Lee Ross, Richard E. Nisbett