Dunning-Kruger Effect
The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability, expertise, or experience regarding a specific task overestimate their ability or knowledge. Conversely, genuine experts often underestimate their competence.
Mechanisms
- Metacognitive Inability: Poor performers lack the specific skills necessary to recognize their own incompetence.
- Curse of Knowledge: Experts mistakenly assume that tasks easy for them are universally easy for others. See also: curse-of-knowledge
Conceptual Trajectory
- Mount-Stupid — Initial exposure yields high confidence despite low competence.
- Valley of Despair — Further learning reveals the scope of unknown information, rapidly reducing confidence.
- Mastery — Continued education and experience gradually restore a calibrated, accurate level of confidence.