The Actor-Observer Bias in Beliefs of Interpersonal Insights

Abstract

The present research aimed to test the cultural generality of the asymmetry in perceptions of interpersonal knowledge (i.e., I-know-you-but-you-do-not-know-me phenomenon) and to explore the perceived behavioral variability of self versus other as a determinant of the asymmetry. In Study 1, the authors found that the asymmetry in beliefs of interpersonal insights was present among Koreans, suggesting a possible cultural universality of the phenomenon. Study 2 extended the finding of Study I and revealed that the asymmetry reflects a bias, not a reality. In Study 3, the authors examined a possible mechanism for the asymmetry and found that it stemmed, in part, from the difference in perceptions of situational variability of one's own versus others' behavior. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.