It is very common that we tend to rank our abilities a little above or below what they really are. For example, having agility in some kind of intellectual area but not giving it the importance it deserves to be recognized or applied as a future livelihood is quite common for many people. While it can happen in the opposite case, i.e., magnifying the skills in such a way that it is possible to fall into constant problems by not knowing how to face things properly and not being aware of our real abilities to solve a particular problem.
As we have already mentioned, this is very common, sometimes out of embarrassment and sometimes out of vanity. Because of this bias, we may miss profitable opportunities or hold a regret that later becomes a valuable lesson. But what happens when these mistakes occur more frequently than usual?
There are people who, for some reason of their own, consider their own abilities to be so fascinating that they tend to exaggerate them out of proportion, when they may not even have the necessary skills or the full development of them, but simply do so to get attention and impress others without considering the negative consequences this has.
What is most remarkable is that this is actually a psychological effect called the Dunning-Kruger EffectIf you want to know more about this phenomenon, then don’t miss the following article where you will learn everything you need to know to recognize it.
What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?
What is this psychological effect specifically about? Well, it is based on a cognitive bias in which one’s own perception of the level of one’s personal abilities is altered. So they are magnified and exaggerated, being very little concordant with reality. The problem lies in the fact that the person does not really possess the level of expertise they claim to have, but their false confidence comes from an illusion of superiority, thus, they try to appear as beings of supreme intelligence above the rest.
However, this effect also happens at the opposite pole, i.e., people who do possess great abilities in an area, who are agile problem solvers or who possess a high level of intelligence, underestimate their abilities or do not consider them good enough, to the point of underestimating themselves. As a result, they tend to be people with insecurity problems and do not feel the need to stand out.
In this last group, let’s say that, despite being intelligent, they tend to think that their abilities are shared by many other people, so they do not consider themselves to be much above average. Despite excelling, they consider themselves mediocre.
The origin of this effect
This effect was brought to light in the world of psychology in the mid-1990s thanks to social psychology professors Justin Kruger and David Dunning, who, by conducting a series of tests and quizzes, discovered that the more ignorant a person is about a subject, the more excuses they make to create the appearance that they have a high intelligence about it or manifest other abilities that they boast about, but cannot prove.
But where did the inspiration to discover this phenomenon come from? It’s all thanks to a peculiar event that took place in Pittsburgh, around the same time, in which a 44-year-old man named McArthur Wheelerafter being arrested for attempting to rob a bank, repeated over and over again his dismay at being discovered as he firmly claimed that he had used lemon juice over his eyes to disappear in front of the security cameras (literally as he saw it).
He expressed his bewilderment with such conviction that he came to tears, especially since the idea had come from the recommendation of two friends who seemed to have used such a trick and obtained favorable results. So he decided to try it out and take a picture with his own camera in which, to his surprise, he did not appear, as if he had truly become invisible. When, in fact, the angle of the camera was not focusing on him..
Dunning-Kruger effect: why do fools think they are smart?
“The overestimation of the incompetent is born of the misinterpretation of one’s own capacity. The undervaluation of the competent is born of the misinterpretation of others’ ability.”
These were the words of part of the conclusion reached by both Professors Dunning and Kruger on the results of their evaluation, which focused on assessing the competence of university students in four different investigations in the areas of grammar, humor and logical reasoning. In which each student was asked to determine on their own their proficiency levels in each area.
The results showed that the more incompetence they manifested in an area, the more ignorance they showed about it, that is, they did not have the awareness to admit, recognize and accept their weaknesses, nor did they show an ability to distinguish their own abilities from those of others, but instead dismissed them. While another part of the population showed that, despite being quite knowledgeable, they tended to minimize or underestimate their abilities.
Charles Darwin once stated: ‘Ignorance breeds confidence more often than knowledge’ and it seems that he was not wrong, at least as far as this phenomenon is concerned. Thus demonstrating that, our own mental defenses can play against us, in order to protect our ignorance, it only makes us more ignorant and the worst thing is that we cannot notice it until it is too late.
But then, will people continue to dismiss their ignorance or weaknesses? No, although this is a psychological bias that forms and settles over time, it can be reversed with psychological help. In which, under cognitive behavioral treatment, it is possible for people to recognize their flaws without feeling anxious and accept them, so that they feel confident to increase their knowledge on their own.
Why does this effect occur?
We have already established and clarified that the Dunning-Kruger phenomenon is about an unrealistic perception of capabilities, to the point of having a false belief of superiority. Or in the opposite case, people with great abilities do not feel that they possess a remarkable talent, feeling even insecure.
This effect occurs because the only way to identify that we have some kind of failure is to recognize what our own capabilities are and the limits of each of these. So, if we cannot be able to observe the extent of our abilities, how are we going to know how far our performance goes?
Of course, we must take into account that it is not about slowing down, not continuing to grow or avoiding trying to do something new, but about being aware of what we can do and what we cannot do based on our current skills and experience. In this way, we will be able to move forward, nourishing ourselves with everything we need to face any challenge in a positive way and conquer it. In order to do so, it is necessary to identify and admit the mistakes we have made. it is necessary to identify and admit the mistakes we have made, or our own ignorance, in order to learn and train ourselves adequately..
Tips for minimizing the presence of this effect in your life
Many times, this phenomenon manifests itself without you being able to notice it, thanks to the fact that it is a fallacy product of your mind and therefore there is no reason not to believe it, especially when the distortion reaches such a high point that any comment from another person is perceived almost as a direct attack.
So how can you get rid of this effect? how can you get rid of this effect?
1. Listen to others
It’s normal to be afraid to listen to what people around you (acquaintances and strangers alike) have to say for fear of receiving harsh criticism or discouragement. But sometimes it is necessary to know other people’s perspectives in order to improve yourself, because this way you can look at problems from a different point of view, analyze your own behavior or feel better about yourself.
2. Accept your mistakes
To err is human and no one is exempt from it, but this does not mean that these are bad and should mark you for life from a negative experience, but on the contrary. Take advantage of each fall as a way to analyze your actions and learn from them so as not to commit them again in the future.
3. Lack of experience is not uselessness
This phenomenon occurs as a defense mechanism to avoid generating feelings of uselessness or rejection, but you must understand that lack of experience is not synonymous with failure. No one is born an expert in a subject, every aptitude and skill takes time to develop, so do not be afraid to learn.
4. Recognize that you have a problem
Although this is an effect that occurs in everyone’s cognition, it is not an impediment for you to become aware of it. The best way to overcome and move forward is to deal with the problem head on until it is eliminated and not normalized.
5. Be empathetic
To give your opinion is not a free space to humiliate other people or to dismiss their comments, so start practicing respect for other people’s ideas. Let everyone express their point of view and communicate your thoughts as well, offer solutions or generate doubts but from assertiveness and never from aggression, because that only makes you look like an attacker.