Difference Between The Actor and Observer

We tend to see other people’s behaviors as being caused by their personal disposition, while perceiving our own actions as due to situational factors.

We also tend to see ourselves as being less stable and predictable, while others are assumed to be more one-dimensional, with less possible behaviors.

This can be due to the fact that we have far more consistency and distinctiveness data about ourselves than observers have. That is, we know better how and why our behavior varies between different situations. People watching us have to guess.

The effect can be reversed when we put ourselves in the place of the other person, such as when we like them. In these cases, we will make dispositional attributions.
We will also reverse the actor/observer difference when we are making negative conclusions. We thus make situational attributions when we make mistakes and dispositional attributions when other people do something reprehensible.

Beware of causing conflict and losing trust by making internal attributions about other people who are likely to be making external attributions about their own behavior. Demonstrate empathy by putting yourself in their place.

TJ