The man in the first example was the observer. If we are the observer, we are likely to attribute the actor’s actions to their personality. You just wanted to save this man the embarrassment of people being upset with him. You didn’t engage in conversation because you were rude. They observed the stuffiness of the bus and the people who were giving the man dirty looks. The person in the first example was the actor. If we are the actor, we are likely to attribute our actions to outside stimuli. The actor-observer bias is a cognitive bias that is often referred to as “actor-observer asymmetry.” It suggests that we attribute the causes of behavior differently based on whether we are the actor or the observer. Other Biases to Be Aware Of What Is the Actor Observer Bias? If you are the actor (the person giving the cold shoulder,) you are likely to view the situation differently than the observer (the person doing the talking.) It’s simply a bias based on who you are and what actions are taking place. It’s not a racial bias or a bias based on the person’s gender. This situation is an example of a bias that you might not even know you have. They brush you off, give you the cold shoulder, and are rather curt. To lift their spirits, you start to have a pleasant conversation with them.

You sit down next to someone who doesn’t look so happy, but friendly enough. Now, picture yourself as the guy walking onto the bus. This guy is drawing too much attention to himself, and you don’t want him to embarrass himself anymore. So you give him one-word answers and try to get the conversation to die down.

It’s really not helping the vibe of the bus and people are starting to give him dirty looks. He decides to sit next to you and starts chatting with you. You’re not in the best mood, and neither is anyone on the bus. It’s a hot day, there is no air conditioning on, and it’s super crowded.

Actor observer vs self serving bias