Actor-observer bias is the tendency to attribute one’s own actions to external circumstances while attributing the behaviour of others to internal circumstances. It is considered an error in thinking, as it leads to distorted interpretations of human behaviour and unfair judgments.
EXAMPLE
John works hard to achieve top grades, juggling multiple responsibilities. When he succeeds, he believes his success came from determination and overcoming difficult circumstances.
However, when Emily earns similar grades, John may attribute her success to luck, intelligence, or an easy exam. As an observer, he overlooks Emily’s effort and focuses on personal traits instead.
When individuals are actors, they focus on situational pressures. When they are observers, they focus on the person rather than the situation.
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What is Actor-Observer Bias?
Actor-observer bias is a type of cognitive bias in social psychology that affects how people explain behaviour. It refers to the tendency to:
- Attribute one’s own behaviour (as the actor) to external or situational causes
- Attribute others’ behaviour (as the observer) to internal or dispositional causes
In simpler terms, people explain their actions using circumstances, but explain others’ actions using personal traits.
This bias operates largely outside conscious awareness, meaning people often fail to realise their judgments are biased. Moreover, it can also lead to research bias during academic studies or research.
Actor-observer bias and cultural differences
Culture plays a significant role in shaping attribution patterns.
- Western cultures tend to emphasise individual and personal responsibilities. Behaviour is often explained through personality traits.
- Eastern and collectivist cultures are more likely to consider social roles, relationships, and situational context when explaining behaviour.
As a result, actor-observer bias may be less pronounced or expressed differently in collectivist societies, when context is given more weight.
What is the difference between actor-observer bias and fundamental attribution error?
Actor-observer bias causes people to make their judgments according to particular circumstances. It happens because of a contradiction between the explanations of actors and observers.
The error or misconception that occurs on the part of the observer is called a fundamental attribution bias.
What is Attribution in Psychology?
According to psychology, how people perceive or explain the behaviours of others is called attribution. The important thing is that people are usually unaware of this process, which causes bias.
There are two types of attributions:
- External Attribution
The attribution that interprets the behaviour of people by considering their external circumstances or factors out of their control is called external attribution.
- Internal Attribution
While the attribution interprets the behaviour of people according to their personality or individuality, it is called internal attribution.
Actor-observer bias reflects a systematic imbalance between these two attribution types.
Causes of Actor-Observer Bias
Three particular causes of actor-observer bias are:
1. Difference in perceptions
The primary cause of actor-observer bias is differences in perceptions. Actors cannot easily perceive their behaviour. They don’t “observe” themselves behaving in the same way. Their attention is typically inward instead of outward. That’s why they seek the cause of their behaviour in the external environment or situation.
On the other hand, the observers see that the environment is perfectly normal and merely a background. According to them, the actor’s behaviour is a fixed personality trait or, in other words, “face value”.
2. Lack of information
Lack of information also tends to cause actor-observer bias. Actors have much more information available to them. They know how they behaved in the past and under what circumstances. For instance, if you scolded someone in the past, then you also have sufficient information on how you were provoked.
On the other hand, the information for the observers is just what they observe. Due to this lack of information, they tend to assume that the actors’ behaviour is due to internal conditions or just a personality trait.
3. Motivational differences
The difference in motivation is also a cause of actor-observer bias. Motivation is the need to enhance or protect one’s self-esteem.
The actor-observer bias often appears in negative situations. Actors blame the external environment rather than take blame to protect their self-esteem. On the other hand, observers are outsiders. Their self-esteem is not at stake. They judge by overestimating the importance of personality characteristics while underestimating the importance of the external environment.
Actor-Observer Bias vs Self-Serving Bias
Here are the key differences between actor-observer bias and self-serving bias:
| Actor-Observer Bias | Self-Serving Bias |
|---|---|
| The tendency of people to attribute their actions to external causes while attributing the actions of others to internal causes. | The tendency of people to attribute their successes to internal causes while attributing their failures to external causes. |
| This is caused by observers comparing their behaviour to that of other actors. | It is a process of how people interpret their successes and failures. |
| The actor blames the situation or environment. Observers blame the person. | People take credit for positive outcomes and blame external factors for negative outcomes. |
How does actor-observer bias influence decision-making?
Actor-observer bias affects decisions in many domains, such as:
- In workplace evaluations, managers may misjudge employee performance.
- In education, teachers misinterpret students’ struggles.
- In healthcare, doctors may blame patients’ habits rather than circumstances.
- In relationships, partners blame personality instead of stress or context.
- In research, it can lead to biased interpretations of participant behaviour.
If it remains unchecked, this bias can lead to unfair policies, poor judgments, and damaged relationships.
Tips to Avoid Actor-Observer Bias
The following are some of the effective tips you can take to avoid actor-observer bias:
Avoid blaming others
The first step to avoiding actor-observer bias is to avoid blaming others for their mishaps. You shouldn’t just rush to judgment; instead, you should also consider other causes of their mishaps.
Whenever you see yourself blaming others, take a step back. Always see the whole picture.
Solve the problem
The second step is solving the problem. Once you have figured out the cause, you should find a way to solve the ongoing issue. It will help you to understand the causes properly. You will be able to see the whole picture.
Practice thankfulness
Whenever something terrible happens in your life, instead of blaming external conditions or people, you should practise thankfulness and focus on the positive aspects of your life. This optimistic and grateful attitude will enhance your well-being.
How to reduce actor-observer bias in your life?
To reduce actor-observer bias, avoid blaming others, solve the problem, and practice thankfulness.
Actor-Observer Bias Examples
The examples related to actor-observer bias will enable you to understand this psychological concept thoroughly.
Example 1: Healthcare
When doctors treat a patient with diarrhoea, they might assume the patient is careless in maintaining their diet. On the other hand, if doctors suffer from diarrhoea themselves, they might attribute it to external factors.
Example 2: Sports
When a football player wins a match, he attributes it to his focus, training and skill. On the other hand, when that same player observes the opponent’s winning game, he will attribute it to luck or favourable circumstances.
Example 3: Education
A student is not performing well in class. He might attribute this poor performance to a heavy course load, family issues, and stress. The advisor will more likely attribute his poor performance to personality traits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Actor-observer bias is the tendency of people to attribute their actions to external conditions while attributing the actions of others to internal conditions.
Both are types of cognitive bias. According to the fundamental attribution error, people ignore and underestimate the environment’s influence on others’ behaviour. In contrast, actor-observer bias is the tendency to attribute one’s own actions to external causes and attribute someone else’s actions to internal causes.
As an actor, when you start working on a project, you might not complete it on time due to your procrastination and the tedious nature of the project. Observers might attribute it to your laziness.
