Self-attributions and the self-serving bias

When it comes to explaining our own successes and failures, the attributions we make are not always objective.

They are often influenced by the motivation to maintain or protect our self-esteem, which can lead to the self-serving bias.

Definition of Self-Serving Bias

The self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute our successes to internal (dispositional, such as our ability or effort) factors and our failures to external (situational, such as bad luck or task difficulty) factors.

This attribution pattern allows us to take credit for the good and avoid blame for the bad, thereby helping to protect our self-image.

Manifestations of the Bias

If a student gets a good grade on a test, they are likely to attribute this to their intelligence or hard work (internal attribution).

Without However, if you get a bad grade, you are more likely to attribute it to the difficulty of the test, poor teaching by the teacher, or bad luck (external attribution).

In sports, athletes often attribute their victories to their skill and effort, while defeats can be explained by factors such as a bad streak, unfair refereeing decisions, or an opponent's excellent performance.

Underlying Motivations

The main motivation behind the self-serving bias is the need to maintain positive self-esteem.

By attributing successes to ourselves, we reinforce our sense of competence and worth.

By attributing failures to external factors, we protect ourselves from self-criticism and the negative feelings associated with failure.

Another motivation may be the need for self-presentation: we want others to view us favorably.

Attributing successes to our qualities and failures to external factors can help project a more positive image.

Is This Bias Adaptive?

In general, a certain degree of self-serving bias can be adaptive, as it helps maintain optimism and motivation in the face of setbacks.

However, if it is excessive, it can have negative consequences, such as preventing learning from mistakes (if responsibility for failures is never taken), generating an unrealistic view of one's own abilities, or creating problems in interpersonal relationships if one constantly blames others.

There are also exceptions, such as in the case of people with low self-esteem or depression, who may show an opposite attribution pattern, blaming themselves for failures and attributing successes to external factors.