Question

A friend wins a tennis game and says, "I trained so hard-that was a great win!" When she loses a subsequent match, she says,"My baby brother kept me up all night crying; I was tired for the match." These statements reflect which of the following principles? (A) Fundamental attribution bias (B) Fundamental attribution error (C) Self-serving bias (D) Esteem bias

Short answer

The statements reflect the self-serving bias (C).

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Statements and Their Context

Review the statements made by your friend in both the situations - winning and losing the tennis matches. Notice her explanations for each outcome.

Analyze the Winning Statement

When she won the game, she attributed her success to her own efforts by saying, 'I trained so hard-that was a great win!' This shows an attribution of success to personal factors.

Analyze the Losing Statement

When she lost the subsequent match, she attributed the loss to an external factor by saying, 'My baby brother kept me up all night crying; I was tired for the match.' This shows an attribution of failure to external factors.

Determine the Principle

Consider the principles listed: (A) Fundamental attribution bias: This involves attributing other people's behaviors to internal factors. (B) Fundamental attribution error: This also involves attributing other people's behaviors to internal characteristics. (C) Self-serving bias: This involves attributing one's success to internal factors and failures to external factors. (D) Esteem bias: This is not a recognized psychological bias.

Select the Correct Answer

Based on the analysis and definitions, the statements reflect the self-serving bias, as she attributes her success to her own efforts and her failures to external factors.

Key concepts

Attribution Theory

Attribution theory is all about how we explain the causes of behavior and events. It's a psychological principle that tries to understand how people make sense of their own actions and others' actions. The theory suggests that we assign causes to behaviors either to internal factors (dispositions) or external factors (situations).

• Internal attributions are when we explain someone's behavior based on their personality, motives, or personal characteristics.
• External attributions are when we explain behavior based on the situation or environment.

For example, if someone wins a match and says they won because they trained hard, they are making an internal attribution. If they lose and blame it on a noisy environment, they are making an external attribution. Understanding attribution theory helps us grasp why people perceive and react to their surroundings differently.

Cognitive Bias

Cognitive bias refers to systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, meaning people create their own subjective reality from their perception of the input. One common cognitive bias is the self-serving bias. This bias is when individuals attribute their successes to internal factors, like hard work, and their failures to external factors, such as bad luck.

• The self-serving bias is a way to protect self-esteem.
• It helps individuals feel better about themselves by claiming personal responsibility for good outcomes and externalizing blame for bad outcomes.

This bias can affect various areas of life, from schoolwork to professional achievements, and understanding it can help us develop a more balanced view of our accomplishments and setbacks.

Psychological Principles

Psychological principles like attribution theory and cognitive biases play a crucial role in determining how we interpret everyday events. They help explain why we might see the same situation differently depending on our viewpoint. These principles underline the importance of self-awareness and critical thinking as we navigate through life. By recognizing these biases:

• We can better understand our own behaviors and reactions.
• We can develop empathy for others as we understand their attribution styles and biases.
• We can strive for a more balanced and fair attribution of events, avoiding extreme self-justification or unfair blame.

These insights can help build healthier relationships and foster personal growth. They remind us that our perceptions are not always objective and highlight the value of looking at situations from multiple angles.