Final answer:
The tendency to overestimate the contribution of internal factors is part of the self-serving bias, a cognitive bias that leads individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors, such as their own abilities or efforts, while attributing their failures to external factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tendency to overestimate the contribution of internal factors is part of the self-serving bias.
The self-serving bias is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors, such as their own abilities or efforts, while attributing their failures to external factors, such as bad luck or unfair circumstances. This bias helps to preserve one's self-esteem and protect against negative emotions.
For example, if a student performs well on a test, they might attribute their success to their intelligence or hard work, whereas if they perform poorly, they might blame the difficulty of the exam or the teacher's poor teaching.