The actor–observer bias is a common psychological tendency in how we explain behaviour, our own and that of others. Simply put, when we are the actor, we tend to explain our actions based on the situation we are in (“I was late because traffic was terrible”). But when we are the observer, we are more likely to explain another person’s behaviour by their character or personality (“They were late because they’re careless or disorganised”).
This bias happens because we have different perspectives:
As actors, we see the outside circumstances that influence our behaviour.
As observers, we only see the other person’s behaviour, not their internal reasoning or situational pressures.
For example, imagine someone trips on the stairs. If it happens to you, you might think, “These stairs are slippery.” If it happens to someone else, you might think, “They’re clumsy.”
The actor–observer bias is significant because it highlights how easily misunderstandings and unfair judgments can arise in daily life, relationships, and even in the workplace. By being aware of it, we can learn to step back and consider both personal factors and situational influences, leading to greater empathy and more fair evaluations of others.