What was the reason that the people of Moses took the calf as a god?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. Al-Sāmirī was from a people who worshiped cows, so this belief remained in his heart. [Ibn ʿAbbās]
2. The Children of Israel passed by a people who were devoted to their idols and they found this appealing. At the time, they asked Moses to make an idol for them and he rejected their request, so during Moses' absence, al-Sāmirī made them a calf, having seen how much they were drawn to that. [Ibn Zayd]