Which of the following is an example of a self-serving attribution?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

We need to identify which option illustrates a self-serving attribution.

Option 1: "Vishnu passes his driving test and concludes that he is an awesome driver". This fits the classic self-serving attribution pattern: success is attributed to one's own ability or characteristics (internal attribution). It reflects taking credit for a positive outcome.

Option 2: "Porscha wins first place in a surfing competition and believes she was lucky that day". Here, the success is attributed to luck (external attribution), which does not align with the self-serving pattern of crediting oneself for success.

Option 3: "Oscar just failed his psychology exam and blames himself for partying the night before". This statement attributes failure to a personal choice (partying), which is an internal attribution for the behavior leading to failure. While some might see it as a form of blaming one’s own choices, it does not illustrate taking credit for the success itself, which is the hallmark of self-serving attribution focusing on positive outcomes. In strict terms, this example emphasizes the cause of the failure rather than the positive self-credit aspect central to self-serving bias.

Option 4: "Ulises gets turned down when he asks someone out for a date and sees it as confirmation that he has an inability to talk to women". This is an internal attribution for a negative outcome (failing to talk to women) and tends to reinforce a negative self-view rather than attributing success to oneself. It does not demonstrate taking credit for a positive outcome, which is the core idea of self-serving attribution.

In sum, the clearest instance of self-serving attribution among the options is Option 1, as it attributes a positive outcome to Vishnu’s own abilities. The other choices either attribute success to external factors (Option 2) or frame failure in ways that emphasize external factors or negative self-concept rather than self-credit for success (Options 3 and 4).

PSYCH 3325 AU2025 (37320) Exam 1

Which of the following is an example of a self-serving attribution?

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PSYCH 3325 AU2025 (37320) Exam 1

Which of the following is an example of a self-serving attribution?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

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Which of the following is an example of self-serving bias?