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The Power of Situations in Determining Behavior
Behavior consistency is not due to internal personality traits, but rather the power of the situation surrounding individuals. The real driver of behavior is the external environment, not internal characteristics. Research like Stanley Milgram's obedience study in the 1960s and 1970s illustrates that manipulating situations can significantly influence people's actions. Lee Ross suggests that people appear consistent because they are typically in stable situations that shape their behavior. It is the circumstances and roles individuals occupy that dictate their actions, making behavior predictable based on the situations they are in.