Self-Serving Bias
Self-serving bias is crediting your successes to your own ability and effort while blaming your failures on bad luck, other people, or circumstances.
Full definition of Self-Serving Bias →:: COMPARE ::
Self-serving biasvsFAE
The short answer
Both distort blame, in opposite directions and about different people. The FAE is about others: their failure means their character. Self-serving bias is about you: your failure means your circumstances. Run together, they produce the classic double standard — I was late because of traffic, you were late because you're careless.
Side by side
| Aspect | Self-serving bias | FAE |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Yourself | Other people |
| Failure means | Circumstances | Character |
| Function | Protects esteem | Simplifies judgment |
| Together | A double standard | A double standard |
What each one means
FAE
The contrast above sets out how FAE differs from Self-Serving Bias on the points that actually matter.