The (in)famous Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias that refers to people overestimating their skills because they don’t know enough to see their own lack of knowledge or ability. Essentially, some individuals are incompetent, have low cognitive ability, and have little self-awareness, which leads them to think that they are both smart and capable when they are, in fact, lacking in those departments.
In fact, people who have the worst abilities tend to think that they are great at doing something. That being said, absolutely everyone is susceptible to this phenomenon. This cognitive bias affects all of us to a greater or lesser degree, no matter how smart and educated we (think we) are.
However, actual experts tend to be better at assessing their abilities than amateurs. What’s more, women “generally make more accurate self-assessments than men,” Verywell Mind explains.
“The basic idea behind the Dunning-Kruger effect is this: if you don't know something, you also don't have the ability to recognize that you don't know it.”
The Dunning-Kruger effect rears its head in many situations throughout your day. For example, you might talk to a relative, friend, or coworker who thinks that their opinion is correct. They might dismiss everyone else’s perspectives when it is clear that they are quite ignorant of the topic in question.
In a nutshell, incompetent individuals have a tendency to:
- Overestimate their skill levels;
- Fail to recognize their mistakes and lack of skill;
- Fail to recognize genuine skill and expertise in others.
“The very knowledge and skills necessary to be good at a task are the same qualities that a person needs to recognize that they are not good at that task. So if a person lacks those abilities, they remain not only bad at that task but ignorant of their inability.”
In essence, having a bit of knowledge in a subject is dangerous because it can lead you to (mistakenly) think that you’re an expert and come to misinformed conclusions.
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If the Dunning-Kruger effect is so widespread, what exactly can we all do to push back against it? Well, one thing that all of us can do is to keep learning and practicing, no matter the topic or skill. “Once you gain greater knowledge of a topic, you will likely recognize how much there is still to learn. This can combat the tendency to assume you’re an expert, even if you're not.”
You have to be willing to question what you know, even if (especially when?) it feels uncomfortable.
Another ‘antidote’ to this cognitive bias is actively asking for feedback and constructive criticism from other people. There’s nothing quite as humbling as seeing yourself through other people’s eyes.
The fact of the matter is that we all make mistakes, and sometimes we behave in cringeworthy ways. In other words, social embarrassment is part and parcel of being human. The best, healthiest thing we can do is own up to our errors, embrace all the awkwardness, learn from our mistakes, and plug any glaring knowledge gaps.
If you think back to all the dumb things you’ve done and how you embarrassed yourself when you were young(er), you probably regret a lot of things. On the positive side of things, recognizing that you erred is proof that you’re growing, maturing, and improving. On the negative end, however, if you don’t accept your imperfections, your past regrets can haunt you for years to come, and that’s unhealthy and exhausting.
The r/im14andthisisdeep online community has been a mainstay on Reddit for over 13 years now.
Originally, it was founded in April 2013 as a way to (ever so gently) poke fun at and shame slightly delusional people who share their ‘deep and meaningful’ philosophical insights online.
