Self-serving bias.
An important phenomenon of self is self-serving bias. We usually think about ourselves favorably; and therefore tend to accept the credit when things go our way and place credit on others when things do not go our way. Self-presentation is another interesting theory. It emphasizes how an individual modifies his or her mannerism, behavior, appearance, and attitude to create a favorable impression on others. As you have learned, self-presentation varies depending on the culture, but what about the online environment? Online learning, shopping, and personal home Web pages are just a few areas where an individual’s presence is viewed.
Compare and contrast self-serving bias and locus of control? Provide an example of a situation in which you encountered an individual (no names) engaged in self-serving bias.
Explain how would the theory of self-presentation fit in an online (basically global) environment. Explain your views of the effects of culture on self-presentation and if that effect is diminished in an online environment.
Self-serving bias
The self-serving bias describes when we attribute positive events and successes to our own character or actions, but blame negative results to external factors unrelated to our character. The concept of locus of control (LOC) refers to a person`s belief system about the causes of events, and the accompanying attributions. There are two categories of locus of control: internal and external. A student who attributes earning a good grade on an exam to their own intelligence and preparation but attributes earning a poor grade to the teacher`s poor teaching ability or unfair test questions might be exhibiting the self-serving bias.
