Self-serving bias is the tendency for people to attribute their successes to internal factors like ability, but blame failures on external factors beyond their control. The document provides examples of how the author exhibits self-serving bias, such as taking credit for getting an A in physics due to hard work, but blaming a biology exam for being too hard when they failed. Comparing oneself favorably to others and having an unrealistic optimism about one's future are also discussed as types of self-serving bias the author has recognized in themselves.

1. Self – Serving Bias ( Entry #2)
Self- serving bias is the tendency to perceive oneself favourably. The common human
tend to attribute one’s successes to personal characteristic and one’s failures to factors
beyond one’s control. We want to believe we are responsible for good things and soneone or
something else is responsible for the bad things. These wants cause the self serving
bias.Through this lecture, i understand that almost everyone have self-serving bias that is not
awared among ourselves. For example, when I got and A in Physics because I was working
very hard for it and failed my Biology because the exam were too hard and this is one of the
examples of self serving bias. Other than that , comparing oneself favorably with others is
also one kind of self serving bias. I sometimes think that i am better than my parents and my
friends from education, sport and talent aspect but sadly to say that it is also an example of
self- serving bias. Next is unrealistic optimism, Unrealistic optimism is a well- established
illusion that one’s future is rosier than it really will be but I think that I’m not in this catagory.
For example, when my first Additional Mathematic results was announced by my teacher and
she said that only 12 out of 32 student pass this exam if im an unrealistic optimism, i will
think that I’m 1 of the 12 but I’m not. I think that I’m 1 of the students that failed Additional
Mathematic exam. Lastly, is false consensus which is finding support for our positions by
overestimating the extend to which others agree. I learn that when I state a statement than I
expect others to agree but actually is not really the truth. In a nutshell, i have a more
understanding about myself that I’m also one self-serving bias person.
Reference
Alice Boyes (2013, January 9). The Self-Serving Bias - Definition, Research, and Antidotes |
Psychology Today. Retrieved November 19, 2013, from
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/201301/the-self-serving-bias-definitionresearch-and-antidotes
Bias and Belief / Optimistic Bias. (2008). Retrieved November 19, 2013, from
http://biasandbelief.pbworks.com/w/page/6537207/Optimistic%20Bias
Gillian Fournier (2013, November 18). Self-Serving Bias | Encyclopedia of Psychology.
Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/encyclopedia/2009/self-servingbias/