The tendency for people to attribute their own actions to external circumstances while attributing others' actions to internal characteristics. This creates different explanatory patterns depending on whether you're the actor or observer in a situation.
Identified by Edward Jones and Richard Nisbett in 1972, combining 'actor' (the person performing the behavior) with 'observer' (the person watching). This research revealed a systematic difference in attribution patterns based on perspective, challenging assumptions about objective judgment.
Actor-observer bias is like having attribution goggles that automatically switch depending on whether you're doing something or watching someone else do it. When you trip, it's because of the uneven sidewalk; when someone else trips, they're clumsy. This happens because you know your own thoughts and circumstances but can only see others' actions!
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