The Dunning-Kruger Effect: What Is It?

The Dunning-Kruger effect may demonstrate the inability to make an objective assessment of one’s abilities, taking into account the degree of training. So, do you think people with less academic preparation can adequately assess their own limitations?

For example, there is a bias when someone self-medicates without having medical knowledge. What happens is that people irrationally assume that they know all about the positive effect of self-medication. And those who are well educated tend to doubt themselves.

What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?

The Dunning-Kruger effect proposes that a person tends to overestimate his or her abilities in a certain area. This while they do not have a broad mastery of a subject. It also states that those who are proficient in a particular subject tend not to trust themselves.

How did this theory come about? In the 1990s, David Dunning and Justin Kruger promoted research with the idea of ​​proving that incompetent people could not have known they were incompetent. Ironically, this is due to their incompetence!

However, it is a mistake to use this theory. It is not about the incompetence of others, but about one’s own incompetence. So we have to ask ourselves whether we are aware of our own incompetence in those things that we are not good at.

It is true that we can recognize someone who is incapable of realizing their own incompetence. They may even try to give the impression of exaggerated mastery. However, there is no way of establishing that a person is in fact unaware of their own lack of ability.

The causes of this behavior

This effect is known as a cognitive bias and prevents people from evaluating themselves objectively. According to the authors, Dunning and Kruger, this phenomenon occurs because of a problem of metacognition (the ability to analyze one’s own performance).

The premise is as follows: people with limited knowledge of a subject have a double burden. They don’t just come to the wrong conclusions and make mistakes all the time. Their own incompetence also robs them of the ability to realize it.

Self-esteem is an important factor in the development of a trust bias, as is the case with the Dunning-Kruger effect. Each superiority complex actually hides an inferiority complex and self-esteem issues.

Therefore, people often choose the alternative of pretending to be capable rather than accepting the reality that they know nothing about a subject. There may even be people with a high level of intelligence who have a cognitive bias regarding their abilities.

Examples of the Dunning-Kruger effect in everyday life

We will now look at some everyday examples of the Dunning-Kruger effect. As we mentioned above, anyone can exhibit this type of behavior regardless of their intelligence level.

1. Conversations About Politics

Politics is one of the areas where people irrationally think they have accurate and truthful answers. It is common to hear simplistic opinions on complex political issues from people who have no background in the subject.

2. Medicine and Health

Medical sciences are another subject that people tend to simplify to the point of stating with certainty the effectiveness of some drugs without taking into account the opinions of professionals. In this way, there are those who believe that their personal experience gives them the knowledge to help others.

3. Relationships

We often get opinions about what to do to improve circumstances when we talk about relationship problems with some trusted friends. These opinions are based on nothing more than anecdotal events. However, our friends can claim that these are efficient solutions.

Ways to avoid it

What you need to do to avoid this cognitive bias is to create the habit of naturally questioning all those opinions that you take for granted. That is, start asking yourself questions that dismantle your beliefs in order to arrive at a more objective opinion.

Another good way to stay sensible about one’s options is to look for updated information from time to time. People who stick to what they’ve learned and don’t bother to keep looking for new information are most likely going to exaggerate what they know.

What do the studies say about it?

The proven information about the Dunning-Kruger effect concludes that it cannot be understood as a simple way of explaining why people cannot see their mistakes. There are articles on the subject, but it’s a hard to measure effect.

A number of studies have shown that people can improve their problems in a number of areas quite quickly. However, proponents of Dunning and Kruger’s original study argue that it is reasonable to think that people who are more confident in their abilities tend to overlook their own shortcomings.

The latter would be because their level of confidence prevents them from being self-critical and accepting mistakes. Instead, they rationalize their reality as they see fit.

How to deal with people with the Dunning-Kruger effect?

It’s normal to feel helpless in the presence of people who give simplistic opinions on topics they don’t know about. Ideally, stay calm and remember that you are not the one with the problem. When you allow someone to change your mood, you give that person power.

To the extent that you can accept other people’s opinions, no matter how crazy they are, you will come closer to reaching a good level of emotional maturity. Remember that no one is obliged to agree with your opinion, even if you are right.