Which concept is primarily concerned with how external factors influence an individual's behavior?

Situational attribution is the concept that focuses on how external factors, such as the environment, social context, or specific circumstances, affect an individual's behavior. When people make situational attributions, they consider how the context or situation can influence actions and decisions, rather than attributing those behaviors to internal characteristics or traits of the individual.

For instance, if a person behaves aggressively at a party, a situational attribution would take into account potential external influences, like the presence of factors such as provocation, substance use, or peer pressure, rather than labeling them as simply an aggressive person by nature. This perspective is essential in social psychology as it emphasizes the role of the environment in shaping behavior, thereby offering a more comprehensive understanding of human actions in various contexts.

The other concepts focus on different aspects of behavior and attribution. Dispositional attribution relates to internal factors, normative influence involves how people's behavior is affected by social norms and the desire to fit in, and behavioral contrast deals with how different behaviors are perceived in relation to one another under varying circumstances. These concepts, while relevant in their own contexts, do not primarily address the impact of external factors as situational attribution does.