Actor-Observer Difference
The tendency to explain other people’s behavior by their personality but one’s own behavior by the situation.
- Ex: “He cut me off because he is a jerk. I cut him off because I was late.”
- Ex: “She snapped at me because she has a temper. I snapped at her because it had been a long day.”
- Ex: A teammate misses practice and is called uncommitted; the same player explains her own missed practice by her work schedule.
Last updated: September 27, 2026 at 8:21 PM