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Self-serving biases in causal attributions as a function of altered activation asymmetry.

The method of induced lateral orientation of attention was selectively used to alter the balance of activation of the brain toward one cerebral hemisphere or the other. The goal was to extend earlier research which showed greater personal optimism for future events during left hemisphere activation to the related phenomenon of causal attributions. As predicted, there was significantly greater self-serving bias (attribution of internal, stable, and global causes for positive events and external, unstable, and specific causes for negative events) during left hemisphere than during right hemisphere relative activation. This was true for achievement but not for affiliation events. These effects were explained in terms of the increased positive affect which correlates with greater left hemisphere activation. Selective activation of the left hemisphere as a means temporarily to alter attributional style was discussed as a possible tool in the treatment of learned helplessness and depression.