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External versus internal causes
In searching for the causes of behavior, Heider argued that we tend to look for external and internal causes. External causes are those that can be found in the environment. He fell because the slope was icy. She passed the test because the test is easy. They ate at the diner because friends had recommended it. Internal causes are those that can be found in the motives and dispositions of the person. He fell because he is a poor skier. She passed the test because she is smart. They ate because they were hungry. Notice that from a philosophical perspective, it is often hard to determine the "true" cause of a person's behavior. Did Yossef eat the salad because he was hungry (an internal cause), or because the salad was particularly appetizing (an external cause). To a philosopher, both explanations are equally plausible and difficult to choose between. But Heider argued that from a psychological perspective it is easy to determine when a cause has been found. Specifically, a sufficient psychological cause has been found when people quit asking "why."
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