What Is Actor-Observer Bias? How It Manipulates Our Decisions?

Have you seen in your daily life how people behave when they do a particular task and when they observe someone doing that same task? You might’ve observed that people behave differently for both their actions and the actions of others.

People tend to blame external causes for their actions but internal causes for the actions of others. For example, if an actor mistakenly drops the tray of glasses, he might blame the rough floor or surface, but if someone else makes the same mistake, the observer might see it as his clumsiness.

This contradiction gives rise to actor-observer bias. An actor explains his own behaviour very differently than an observer who would observe the same behaviour. Actor-observer bias influences how people perceive the world and ultimately manipulates their decisions. This bias also gives rise to research bias for researchers.

What is Actor-Observer Bias?

According to psychology, actor-observer bias determines how people interact and make judgements based on the behaviour of other people.

People all around the world think more or less in the same ways. Due to this, they are more exposed to actor-observer behaviour. Nevertheless, this is not true, as the culture of the people also has an essential role in impacting their perspective on the world.

For instance, in the West, the individual personality of a person is considered the explanation of their behaviour, while in the East, the behaviour of a person is based on the collective influence of a community.

Actor-Observer Bias Definition

Actor-observer bias is a type of cognitive bias. It is also known as an error in thinking. This error manipulates our judgements and assumptions about why some people behave in certain ways.

According to actor and observer bias, when people behave as actors, they attribute their actions to external causes or circumstances, but when they behave as observers, they tend to attribute the behaviour of actors to external causes or circumstances.

Example of Actor-Observer Bias

Actor-Observer Bias and Fundamental Attribution Error

Actor-observer bias causes people to make their judgements 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?

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.

Causes of Actor-Observer Bias

Human behaviour is a very complicated phenomenon, which leads to several explanations for the actor-observer bias. There are three particular causes of actor-observer bias:

• 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. 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”.

• 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.

• 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

Tips to Avoid Actor-Observer Bias

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 judgement; 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.

Actor-Observer Bias Examples

The examples related to actor-observer bias will enable you to understand this psychological concept thoroughly.

Example 1:

When doctors treat a patient with diarrhoea, they might assume the patient is careless in maintaining his diet. On the other hand, if doctors suffer from diarrhoea themselves, they might attribute it to external factors.

Example 2:

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:

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.

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