Dunning-Kruger effect: why do fools think they are smart?

It is very common that we tend to classify our abilities a little above or below what they really are. For example, being agile in some type of intellectual area but not giving it the importance it deserves to be recognized or applied as a future means of life is something quite common in many people. While it can happen in the opposite case, that is, magnify the aptitudes in such a way that it is possible to fall into problems constant by not knowing how to face things properly and not being aware of our real abilities to solve a problem in concrete.

As we have already mentioned, this is very common, sometimes out of embarrassment and other times out of vanity. Because of this bias, we can miss out on useful opportunities or sustain a regret that later becomes a valuable lesson. But what happens when these mistakes happen more frequently than normal?

There are people who, for some reason of their own, find their own abilities so fascinating that they tend to exaggerate them excessively, when they may not even have the skills. necessary skills or the full development of them, but simply do it to attract attention and impress others without considering the negative consequences that this have.

Most notably, this is actually a psychological effect called the Dunning-Kruger effect., and if you want to know more about this phenomenon, then do not miss the following article where you will know everything you need 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 the own perception of the level of personal capacities that one possesses is altered. So they are magnified and exaggerated, being very inconsistent with reality. The problem is that the person does not really have the level of experience that he claims to have, but his false Confidence comes from an illusion of superiority, therefore, they try to appear as beings of high intelligence above the rest.

However, this effect also occurs at the opposite pole, that is, people who do have great capabilities in an area, who are agile to solve problems or who have a high level of intelligence, they underestimate their abilities or do not consider them good enough, until they underestimate themselves. Consequently, they tend to be people with insecurity problems and who do not feel the need to stand out.

In the latter group, let's say that despite being smart, they tend to think that their abilities are shared by many other people, so they do not consider that they are much above the half. Despite excelling, they consider themselves mediocre.

The origin of this effect

This effect was brought to the fore in the world of psychology in the mid-1990s thanks to social psychology professors Justin Kruger and David. Dunning, who by doing a series of tests and tests, discovered that, the more ignorant a person was regarding a subject, the more excuses they give for create the appearance that they possess high intelligence about himself or manifest other abilities of which he boasts, but which he cannot prove.

But where did the inspiration come from to discover this phenomenon? It is all due to a peculiar event that took place in Pittsburgh, at the same time, in which a 44-year-old man named McArthur Wheeler, after being arrested for attempting to rob a bank, he repeated over and over his dismay at being discovered as he firmly claimed that he had used lemon juice on his eyes to disappear before the security cameras (literally as he considered the same).

He expressed his bewilderment with such conviction that he came to tears, especially since the idea had arose on the recommendation of two friends who seemed to have used this trick and obtained results favorable. So he decided to try it and take a picture with his own camera in which, to his surprise, he did not appear, as if he had really become invisible. When, in reality, the camera angle was not focusing on it.

Dunning-Kruger effect: why do fools think they are smart?

«The overvaluation of the incompetent is born from the misinterpretation of one's own capacity. The undervaluation of the competent person is born from the misinterpretation of the capacity of others »"

These were the words of part of the conclusion reached by both Professors Dunning and Kruger against the results of their evaluation, which focused on assessing the competence of students university students, in four different investigations in the areas of grammar, humor and reasoning logical. In which each student was asked to determine on their own the proficiency levels in each area.

The results showed that, the more incompetence they manifested in an area, the more ignorance they showed towards it, that is, they did not have the consciousness of admit, acknowledge and accept their weaknesses, also do not show an ability to distinguish their own abilities from others, but instead show them they dismiss. While another part of the population showed that, despite having enough knowledge, they tended to minimize or underestimate their skills.

One time, Charles Darwin He stated: ‘Ignorance generates trust more frequently 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, only makes us more ignorant beings and the worst thing is that we can not notice it until it is late.

But then, will people continue to dismiss their ignorance or their weaknesses? No, while this is a psychological bias that forms and settles over time, it can be reversed with psychological help. In which, under a cognitive behavioral treatment, it is possible that people manage to recognize their failures without feel anxious and accept them, so that they feel confident in increasing their knowledge by their account.

Why is this effect present?

We have already established and clarified that the Dunning-Kruger phenomenon is about an unreal perception of capabilities, reaching the point of having a false belief of superiority. Or in the opposite case, people with great abilities do not feel that they have a remarkable talent, even feeling insecure.

This effect occurs because the only way to identify that we have some type of failure is by recognizing 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 is?

Of course, we must take into account that it is not a question of slowing down, not continuing to grow or avoiding trying to do something new, but to be aware of what we can and cannot do based on our current skills and experience. Thus, we can move forward, nourishing ourselves with everything necessary to face any challenge in a positive way and conquer it. For it it is necessary to identify and admit the mistakes made, or one's own ignorance, to learn and train properly.

Tips to minimize the presence of this effect in your life

Many times, this phenomenon manifests itself without you noticing it, thanks to the fact that it is a fallacy product of your mind and therefore there are no reasons not to. Believe it, especially when the distortion reaches such a high point that any comment from another person is perceived almost as an attack direct.

Then, How can you get rid of this effect?

1. Listen to others

It is normal for you to feel afraid of hearing what the people around you (known as strangers alike) have to say for fear of harsh criticism or discouragement. But sometimes it is necessary to know the perspectives of others to improve, because that way you can observe problems from a different point of view, analyze your own behavior or feel better about yourself same.

2. Accept your mistakes

To err is human and no one is exempt from it, but this does not mean that they are bad and should mark you for life from a negative experience, but quite the opposite. 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 useless

This phenomenon occurs as a defense mechanism to avoid generating feelings of worthlessness or rejection, but you must understand that lack of experience is not synonymous with failure. No one is born an expert on a topic, every skill and skill takes time to develop, so don't be afraid to learn.

4. Acknowledge that you have a problem

Although this is an effect that occurs in the cognition of each person, it is not an impediment for you to become aware of it. The best way to improve yourself and keep going in treating this problem head on until it is eliminated and not normalized.

Commenting 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 too, offer solutions or generates doubts but from assertiveness and never from aggression, because that only makes you look like a attacker.