Field-Study Evidence of an Ego-Defensive Bias in Attribution among Two Categories of Observers
- 1 March 1980
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Vol. 6 (1) , 44-50
- https://doi.org/10.1177/014616728061006
Abstract
Data from a field stud)' originally' conducted for a different purpose were reanalyzed for evidence of attributional bias. Coaches rated players' abilities and efforts at preseason and midway through a losing season. Results were consistent with predictions derived from an analysis of differential role demands: The head coach perceived players as having greater abilities but poorer efforts at midseason than preseason; assistant coaches perceived less ability but greater efforts at midseason than preseason. The findings are seen as consistent with the notion of a self-esteem-protecting bias in causal attribution.Keywords
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