Attribution is a term used in psychology and other fields to describe the process of assigning causes to events or behaviors. In psychology, attribution refers to how individuals perceive the causes of everyday experiences, as being either external or internal). Attribution theory is a model used to explain this process. External attribution, also called situational attribution, refers to interpreting someones behavior as being caused by the individuals environment. Internal attribution, or dispositional attribution, refers to the process of assigning the cause of behavior to some internal characteristic, likeability and motivation, rather than to outside forces). Attribution theory has been criticized for being mechanistic and reductionist for assuming that people are rational, logical, and systematic thinkers. The fundamental attribution error, however, demonstrates that they are cognitive misers and motivated tacticians).

Outside of psychology, attribution can refer to the act of saying what the origin or cause of something is, such as the ascribing of a work to a particular author or artist. Attribution can also refer to the assumption that personal factors, such as an individuals abilities, are the cause of an event or behavior. In general, attribution is the process of assigning causes to events or behaviors, whether in psychology or other fields.