What does "self-serving bias" refer to?

Self-serving bias is a cognitive distortion that affects how individuals perceive the causes of their successes and failures. It specifically refers to the phenomenon where people attribute positive outcomes, such as achievements or successes, to their own efforts, abilities, or characteristics. Conversely, when facing negative outcomes or failures, individuals tend to attribute those results to external factors, such as bad luck or the actions of other people.

This bias serves to enhance self-esteem and protect the individual's self-image. By placing the blame for failures on outside influences, individuals can maintain a more favorable view of themselves. The recognition of self-serving bias is significant in understanding human behavior, relationships, and often impacts decision-making processes.

In this context, other options do not encapsulate the core idea of self-serving bias as directly as the correct choice does. The tendency to take full responsibility for all outcomes, for instance, contradicts the essence of self-serving bias, which involves selectively attributing causes based on whether the outcomes are favorable or unfavorable. Similarly, the notions of overestimating others' abilities or judging others based on failures do not align with the self-focused attribution pattern that characterizes self-serving bias.