Positivity–negativity asymmetry in attribution
Also known as: Attributional asymmetry
Success is 'me,' failure is 'the situation' — and the reverse for others.
What it means
The patterned way attributions for success and failure differ by outcome valence and by whether the actor is the self or another. For one's own outcomes, success is credited to internal, stable causes such as ability and effort, while failure is deflected to external, unstable causes such as luck or task difficulty — the self-serving attributional pattern. For others, and especially out-group members, the pattern can invert, so their failures are dispositional and their successes situational. The asymmetry is driven by a blend of self-enhancement, expectancy, and the differing information available about self versus others. It is foundational to understanding morale, blame allocation, and the durability of stereotypes.
Examples
A salesperson attributes a closed deal to their skill but a lost one to a stingy market or a bad lead.
The driver who cuts you off is a reckless idiot; when you do the same thing, you were late for a hospital appointment and the sign was hidden behind a tree.
After a win, the manager credits the game plan and the training ground; after a defeat, it was the referee, the pitch, and an unfair fixture list.
First described in Synthesis of Weiner's attribution theory and Miller & Ross (1975).