Dunning–Kruger effect
From the Wiki: The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than average. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their mistakes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
It came up in Filippo Salustri post here: http://goo.gl/Pw2C6 and then in the share below by praveen kulkarni
The video explains it well and it’s true we come across it (unfortunately) quite often in online discussions. The video touches on another issue, which is confusing opinion and fact. The Dunning-Kruger effect seems to explain how one could confuse opinion and fact in an argument. It might even partially explain the anti-science movement.
Nevertheless, it’s an interesting video that was very timely. Thanks for the share praveen kulkarni
Maybe people that follow ScienceSunday would care to start a discussion about the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Originally shared by Praveen Kulkarni
The skills involved in being competent in some area are often the same skills needed to evaluate that competence.
Example : say, in a debate, the skills needed to put forward a logical argument are the same as those to recognize a logical argument
So the skills for doing and assessing go together.
– Diane Kruger effect
May 19, 2012
Here is another possibility for why the higher percentile scorers underestimated themselves. The more you know, they more you realize how much more there is to know. So a sense of self awareness of one’s limitations could lead to underestimation. As for the bottom percentile, I guess it can be summed up simply as, “Ignorance is bliss”.
May 19, 2012
As far as
trollsonline arguments are concerned, it boils down to perspective. The non-expert often feels belittled yet over-confident. The expert often feels disrespected.May 19, 2012
Two things worth noting about D-K, and opinions v. facts.
1. It seems most evident in North America.
2. Quite frankly, I’m deeply concerned about the use of “freedom of speech” in USA to put falsehoods and lies on par with truths. Most other countries recognize the intentional promulgating of lies as deeply harmful to individuals and to societies. It seems the USA doesn’t. That’s my unscientific explanation for the preponderance of high-profile assholes and nutjobs in US politics and media.
May 20, 2012
Awesome song, Mahesh Sreekandath , and perfect complement to this thread. Good job 🙂
May 20, 2012
The fundamental cause of trouble in the world today is that the stupid are so cocksure and the intelligent full of doubt” Bertrand Russell (1950)
May 20, 2012
Although I’m not at all sure as to which category I belong 😉
May 20, 2012
Hah, you G plussers leave me no choice by picking apart my posts. People are still arguing about my outlandish claim that viruses are colorless, lol. At least it gets ’em talking 😉
June 3, 2012
Filippo Salustri … you would be surprised at how wide spread it is. Most definitely not solely American.