The Actor-Observer bias is a tendency to attribute our own actions to external situations while attributing others' actions to their personalities. In this series, we're exploring 200 cognitive errors and biases. By understanding these patterns, you'll not only improve your own decision-making but also positively influence those around you. Let's embark on this journey together towards better awareness and decision-making! TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. 🤔Understanding the Actor-Observer Bias (#45 of 200) 2. ⚠️Harmful Effects: How the Actor-Observer Bias Can Be Detrimental 3. 🚧Most Susceptible: Traits of Those Most Prone to the Actor-Observer Bias 4. 🚸How to Avoid: Tactics to Sidestep the Harmful Effects of the Actor-Observer Bias 5. 🚀Bias for Benefit: Leveraging the Actor-Observer Bias for Good 6.🎓 Recap and Remember: A Poem to Recall the Actor-Observer Bias 7. 📖Recommended Critical Thinking Books 1. UNDERSTANDING THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS (#45 of 200) Examples🤔 1️⃣ Traffic Incident 2️⃣ Work Deadline 3️⃣ Relationship Miscommunication Harmful Effects⚠️ 1️⃣ Miscommunication In Relationships 2️⃣ Workplace Conflict 3️⃣ Impaired Self-Assessment Susceptibility🚧 1️⃣ High Self-Esteem 2️⃣ Individualistic Cultures 3️⃣ Lack of Perspective-Taking Ways to Avoid the Harmful Effects🚸 1️⃣ Consider the Context for Others' Actions 2️⃣ Reflect On One's Own Internal Motivations 3️⃣ Use Perspective-Taking Ways to Use it for Good🚀 1️⃣ Empathetic Support for Stress 2️⃣ Constructive Feedback for Improvement 3️⃣ Encouraging Self-Reflection in Family Dynamics 👍 It helps LinkedIn share Cognitive Cleanup tips with others 6. RECAP AND REMEMBER: A POEM TO RECALL THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS 🎓 "The Tricky Trap of Restraint" 7. RECOMMENDED CRITICAL THINKING BOOKS Books I've found helpful in my 'Cognitive Clean-Up' journey. 📖 Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): https://amzn.to/3C0axUo 💡Review & 3 Key Concepts: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/winning-through-admitting-breaking-free-from-k-c-barr/ 📖You are Now Less Dumb: https://amzn.to/3E7OCLO Up Next: #46 - The Cheerleader Effect 👉 Get notified when I post the next bias review: Connect with me on Youtube www.youtube.com/@CognitiveCleanup or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kcbarr/

1. UNDERSTANDING
THE ACTOR-OBSERVER EFFECT BIAS
UNDERSTANDING
THE ACTOR-OBSERVER EFFECT BIAS
# 4 5 O F 2 0 0 C O G N I T I V E B I A S E S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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N E X T U P : # 4 6 - T H E C H E E R L E A D E R E F F E C T
N E X T U P : # 4 6 - T H E C H E E R L E A D E R E F F E C T

2. HOW TO
BENEFIT
HOW TO
AVOID
MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE
HARMFUL
EFFECTS
EXAMPLES
A C T O R - O B S E R V E R
# 4 5 O F 2 0 0 C O G N I T I V E B I A S E S
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N E X T U P : # 4 6 - T H E C H E E R L E A D E R E F F E C T
N E X T U P : # 4 6 - T H E C H E E R L E A D E R E F F E C T

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4. I t ' s a t e r m i n s o c i a l p s y c h o l o g y
t h a t r e f e r s t o a d i f f e r e n c e i n
a t t r i b u t i o n b a s e d o n w h o ' s
b e h a v i n g . A s a c t o r s , w h e n w e d o
s o m e t h i n g , w e t e n d t o b l a m e t h e
s i t u a t i o n w e ' r e i n ; w e s e e o u r
b e h a v i o r a s a r e a c t i o n t o t h e
c i r c u m s t a n c e . H o w e v e r , a s
o b s e r v e r s , w e a t t r i b u t e o t h e r s '
a c t i o n s t o t h e i r c h a r a c t e r o r
d i s p o s i t i o n . W e p e r c e i v e t h e m a s
i n h e r e n t l y d e c i d i n g t o a c t t h a t
w a y , r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e s i t u a t i o n .
THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
W H A T I S I T ?
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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5. THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: EXAMPLES

6. T R A F F I C
I N C I D E N T
W h e n I ' m d r i v i n g a n d I c u t
s o m e o n e o f f , i t ' s b e c a u s e I ' m
r u n n i n g l a t e o r t h e o t h e r l a n e
w a s m o v i n g t o o s l o w . B u t i f
s o m e o n e e l s e c u t s m e o f f , I
t h i n k t h e y ' r e a r e c k l e s s o r b a d
d r i v e r .
ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: EXAMPLES
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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7. W O R K D E A D L I N E
I f I m i s s a d e a d l i n e a t w o r k , I
b l a m e t h e o v e r l o a d o f t a s k s o r
u n f o r e s e e n c i r c u m s t a n c e s .
H o w e v e r , i f m y c o w o r k e r
m i s s e s t h e i r d e a d l i n e , I t h i n k
i t ' s b e c a u s e t h e y ' r e
d i s o r g a n i z e d o r l a z y .
ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: EXAMPLES
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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8. R E L A T I O N S H I P
M I S C O M M U N I C A T I O N
W h e n I f a i l t o r e t u r n a f r i e n d ' s
c a l l , I a t t r i b u t e i t t o m y b u s y
d a y o r m y p h o n e b e i n g o n
s i l e n t . B u t i f m y f r i e n d d o e s n ' t
r e t u r n m y c a l l , I m i g h t t h i n k
t h e y ' r e i g n o r i n g m e o r t h a t
t h e y ' r e i n c o n s i d e r a t e .
ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: EXAMPLES
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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9. T h i s b i a s a f f e c t s o u r
j u d g m e n t s a n d c a n l e a d t o
m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g s i n s o c i a l
i n t e r a c t i o n s .
# # # O F 2 0 0 C O G N I T I V E B I A S E S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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10. ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: WHY IT CAN BE BAD

11. ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: HARMFUL EFFECTS
T h e A c t o r - O b s e r v e r b i a s c a n
b e h a r m f u l b e c a u s e i t l e a d s u s
t o a t t r i b u t e o u r o w n a c t i o n s t o
e x t e r n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i l e
a t t r i b u t i n g o t h e r s ' a c t i o n s t o
t h e i r p e r s o n a l t r a i t s . T h i s
s k e w e d p e r c e p t i o n c a n c r e a t e
m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g s a n d
c o n f l i c t s b e c a u s e i t d o e s n ' t
a l l o w u s t o s e e s i t u a t i o n s f r o m
a n e m p a t h e t i c o r o b j e c t i v e
v i e w p o i n t .
T h r e e p o t e n t i a l n e g a t i v e
c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h e A c t o r -
O b s e r v e r b i a s w i t h e x a m p l e s
a r e :
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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12. M I S C O M M U N I C A T I O N
I N R E L A T I O N S H I P S
A s p o u s e m a y t h i n k , " I s n a p p e d
b e c a u s e I h a d a b a d d a y a t
w o r k , " w h i l e a s s u m i n g t h e i r
p a r t n e r ' s s n a p p y b e h a v i o r i s d u e
t o b e i n g a g r u m p y p e r s o n .
ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: HARMFUL EFFECTS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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13. W O R K P L A C E
C O N F L I C T
A t e a m l e a d e r m i g h t a t t r i b u t e a
t e a m m e m b e r ' s m i s s e d d e a d l i n e
t o l a z i n e s s , i g n o r i n g t h a t t h e
t e a m m e m b e r w a s o v e r l o a d e d
w i t h t a s k s .
ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: HARMFUL EFFECTS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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14. I M P A I R E D S E L F -
A S S E S S M E N T
A s t u d e n t b l a m e s a p o o r e x a m
s c o r e o n u n c l e a r l e c t u r e s r a t h e r
t h a n a c k n o w l e d g i n g a l a c k o f
s t u d y .
ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: HARMFUL EFFECTS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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15. ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: ARE YOU MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO IT?

16. SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
T h e A c t o r - O b s e r v e r b i a s i s
s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a n a f f e c t
a n y o n e , b u t c e r t a i n t y p e s o f
p e o p l e m i g h t b e m o r e
s u s c e p t i b l e t o i t .
H e r e a r e t h e t o p t h r e e
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f s o m e o n e
w h o ' s m o s t l i k e l y t o f a l l i n t o
t h i s k i n d o f t h i n k i n g :
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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17. H I G H S E L F -
E S T E E M
P e o p l e w i t h h i g h s e l f - e s t e e m
m a y o f t e n c r e d i t t h e i r
s u c c e s s e s t o i n t e r n a l t r a i t s a n d
t h e i r f a i l u r e s t o e x t e r n a l
s i t u a t i o n s , w h i c h a l i g n s w i t h
t h e A c t o r - O b s e r v e r b i a s .
E x a m p l e : S o m e o n e w i t h h i g h
s e l f - e s t e e m m i g h t b l a m e t r a f f i c
f o r b e i n g l a t e b u t b e l i e v e
o t h e r s a r e l a t e d u e t o p o o r
t i m e m a n a g e m e n t .
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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18. I N D I V I D U A L I S T I C
C U L T U R E S
T h o s e r a i s e d i n i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c
s o c i e t i e s a r e o f t e n t a u g h t t o
p r i o r i t i z e p e r s o n a l o v e r g r o u p
a c h i e v e m e n t s , m a k i n g t h e m
m o r e p r o n e t o t h i s b i a s .
E x a m p l e : A p e r s o n f r o m a n
i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c c u l t u r e m a y
j u s t i f y t h e i r c o l l e a g u e ' s p r o j e c t
f a i l u r e a s a l a c k o f s k i l l w h i l e
a t t r i b u t i n g t h e i r o w n f a i l u r e t o
a l a c k o f r e s o u r c e s .
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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19. L A C K O F
P E R S P E C T I V E -
T A K I N G
P e o p l e w h o s t r u g g l e t o a d o p t
o t h e r s ' p e r s p e c t i v e s m a y
q u i c k l y j u d g e o t h e r s ' a c t i o n s a s
i n d i c a t i v e o f t h e i r p e r s o n a l i t y
r a t h e r t h a n s i t u a t i o n a l f a c t o r s .
E x a m p l e : S o m e o n e m a y s e e a
f r i e n d ' s w i t h d r a w a l f r o m s o c i a l
g a t h e r i n g s a s u n s o c i a b l e
w i t h o u t c o n s i d e r i n g t h e i r
f r i e n d ' s p o s s i b l e p e r s o n a l
i s s u e s .
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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20. Subscribe to Idea Express Today
and Learn Something New Tomorrow!
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Put 3 Core Book Derived
Concepts into Practices
Today (for free)
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21. ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS: HOW TO AVOID IT

22. WAYS TO AVOID THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
T h e A c t o r - O b s e r v e r b i a s i s
p r e t t y i n t e r e s t i n g , i s n ' t i t ?
I t ' s l i k e w e h a v e a s c r i p t i n
o u r h e a d s t h a t s o m e t i m e s
m a k e s u s t h e h e r o o f o u r
o w n s t o r i e s w h i l e c a s t i n g
o t h e r s i n a l e s s f o r g i v i n g
l i g h t . B u t , t h e g o o d n e w s i s ,
w e c a n d e f i n i t e l y w o r k o n
a v o i d i n g t h i s k i n d o f
t h i n k i n g .
H e r e a r e t h e t o p t h r e e w a y s
t o c o m b a t A c t o r - O b s e r v e r
b i a s :
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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23. C O N S I D E R T H E
C O N T E X T F O R
O T H E R S '
A C T I O N S
B e f o r e j u m p i n g t o c o n c l u s i o n s
a b o u t s o m e o n e ' s b e h a v i o r , t a k e
t i m e t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e c o n t e x t i n
w h i c h t h e y ' r e o p e r a t i n g .
F o r i n s t a n c e , i f a c o l l e a g u e m i s s e s
a d e a d l i n e , c o n s i d e r e x t e r n a l
f a c t o r s l i k e i n c r e a s e d w o r k l o a d o r
p e r s o n a l i s s u e s , r a t h e r t h a n
a s s u m i n g l a z i n e s s o r i n c o m p e t e n c e .
WAYS TO AVOID THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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24. R E F L E C T O N
O N E ' S O W N
I N T E R N A L
M O T I V A T I O N S
W h e n e x p l a i n i n g y o u r a c t i o n s , t r y
t o b e m i n d f u l o f t h e i n t e r n a l
c h o i c e s a n d m o t i v a t i o n s t h a t l e d t o
t h a t a c t i o n .
F o r e x a m p l e , i f y o u f i n d y o u r s e l f
j u s t i f y i n g a m i s t a k e b y b l a m i n g
e x t e r n a l f a c t o r s , p a u s e t o c o n s i d e r
w h a t p e r s o n a l d e c i s i o n s
c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e o u t c o m e .
WAYS TO AVOID THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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25. U S E
P E R S P E C T I V E -
T A K I N G
P u t y o u r s e l f i n t h e o t h e r p e r s o n ' s
s h o e s .
F o r e x a m p l e , i f y o u ' r e u p s e t w i t h
s o m e o n e f o r b e i n g l a t e , i m a g i n e
s c e n a r i o s w h e r e y o u ' v e b e e n l a t e
d u e t o u n f o r e s e e n c i r c u m s t a n c e s .
T h i s e x e r c i s e p r o m o t e s
u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d r e d u c e s b i a s .
WAYS TO AVOID THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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26. USING THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS POSITIVELY

27. W h e n w e t a l k a b o u t t h e
A c t o r - O b s e r v e r b i a s , w e ' r e
u s u a l l y f l a g g i n g i t a s a
h u r d l e i n u n d e r s t a n d i n g
b e h a v i o r , b u t i f n a v i g a t e d
t h o u g h t f u l l y , i t c a n a c t u a l l y
s e r v e a s a t o o l f o r e m p a t h y
a n d g r o w t h . I f s o m e o n e i s
e t h i c a l a n d r e s p o n s i b l e ,
t h e y c a n u s e a n a w a r e n e s s
o f t h i s b i a s a s a
s p r i n g b o a r d t o h e l p o t h e r s .
H e r e a r e t h r e e w a y s y o u c a n
p u t t h i s i n t o a c t i o n :
BENEFITTING FROM THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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28. E M P A T H E T I C
S U P P O R T F O R
S T R E S S
R e c o g n i z e t h a t a n e m p l o y e e ' s
l a t e n e s s c o u l d b e d u e t o e x t e r n a l
s t r e s s o r s . B y p r o v i d i n g a s u p p o r t i v e
c o n v e r s a t i o n s p a c e , y o u c a n
d i s c o v e r t h e s e s t r e s s o r s a n d o f f e r
a s s i s t a n c e o r f l e x i b l e s c h e d u l i n g .
H o w T o : S c h e d u l e a o n e - o n - o n e
m e e t i n g t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e i r
s i t u a t i o n b e t t e r . O f f e r r e s o u r c e s
f o r t i m e m a n a g e m e n t o r p e r s o n a l
c o u n s e l i n g i f s t r e s s i s a n i s s u e .
BENEFITTING FROM THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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29. C O N S T R U C T I V E
F E E D B A C K F O R
I M P R O V E M E N T
W h e n a f r i e n d f a i l s a t a t a s k , i n s t e a d o f
a t t r i b u t i n g i t t o a l a c k o f a b i l i t y , c o n s i d e r
s i t u a t i o n a l f a c t o r s t h a t c o u l d h a v e
i m p a c t e d t h e i r p e r f o r m a n c e . T h i s
p e r s p e c t i v e c a n h e l p t h e m v i e w t h e
f a i l u r e a s a l e a r n i n g e x p e r i e n c e r a t h e r
t h a n a c h a r a c t e r f l a w .
H o w T o : S i t d o w n w i t h y o u r f r i e n d t o
d i s c u s s w h a t w e n t w r o n g , f o c u s i n g o n
e x t e r n a l f a c t o r s t h a t a f f e c t e d t h e
o u t c o m e . E n c o u r a g e t h e m t o a d d r e s s
t h e s e f a c t o r s a s c h a l l e n g e s t o o v e r c o m e
f o r n e x t t i m e .
BENEFITTING FROM THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
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30. E N C O U R A G I N G
S E L F - R E F L E C T I O N
I N F A M I L Y
D Y N A M I C S
I f a f a m i l y m e m b e r r e a c t s a n g r i l y t o
c r i t i c i s m , c o n s i d e r h o w y o u p e r c e i v e
y o u r o w n r e a c t i o n s i n s i m i l a r
s i t u a t i o n s . T h i s c a n h e l p y o u f r a m e y o u r
r e s p o n s e i n a w a y t h a t a c k n o w l e d g e s
b o t h s i d e s a n d o p e n s u p a d i a l o g u e f o r
m u t u a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g .
H o w T o : C r e a t e a f a m i l y d i s c u s s i o n
w h e r e e v e r y o n e s h a r e s h o w t h e y f e e l
w h e n c r i t i c i z e d a n d w h a t e x t e r n a l
f a c t o r s m a y i n f l u e n c e t h e i r r e a c t i o n s .
T h i s c a n p r o m o t e a m o r e u n d e r s t a n d i n g
f a m i l y e n v i r o n m e n t .
BENEFITTING FROM THE ACTOR-OBSERVER BIAS
C O G N I T I V E C L E A N U P : N A V I G A T I N G M I N D T R A P S
Learn more in the slide description

31. Join Us On This Journey Of Cognitive Cleanup
www.youtube.com/@CognitiveCleanup
Want to recognize these mind
traps and avoid falling into
them?