Page "Fundamental attribution error" Paragraph 8

# Salience of the actor.

We tend to attribute an observed effect to potential causes that capture our attention.

When we observe other people, the person is the primary reference point while the situation is overlooked as if it is nothing but mere background.

So, attributions for others ' behavior are more likely to focus on the person we see, not the situational forces acting upon that person that we may not be aware of.

( When we observe ourselves, we are more aware of the forces acting upon us.

Such a differential inward vs. outward orientation accounts for the actor-observer bias.