The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias identified in the world of psychology. This effect is identified when people believe their intelligence and knowledge is adequate and correct when in reality they are ignorant and inexperienced in the area they think they are competent in. In reality, they are not only ignorant and blind to their own weakness but also ignorant of their own ignorance. In any pursuit, competence and successful experience in an area must come before confidence or you are suffering from delusion.
The Dunning–Kruger effect is having the illusion of superiority and comes from the lack of competence to identify a lack of ability due to a no real understanding of a subject, occupation, or domain. With no clear unbiased self-awareness and understanding of their own thought processes, people are not able to objectively see their own competence or incompetence.
This cognitive bias of delusional superiority is a self created illusion that happens primarily by people with low ability and a lack of real world experience. It can also be an ego delusion that happens in people that are highly intelligent or have expertise in another field and think that their high performance can translate to other fields because of their past success and high performance.
This effect can also emerge from a miscalculation of others, knowing about yourself but misjudging the effects that others will have on what you believe to be true.
To avoid the Dunning-Kruger effect it is important to enter any new job, occupation, or field of study with an open mind and humbly. Be a student of what works and what does not. Study successful people, facts, and historical data for the truth. Keep a beginner’s mind when you are a student and an open mind when you are a teacher. Always be aware that it is possible you could be wrong. When you are on the right track with learning and growing the more you learn the more you realize there is so much you don’t know.
‘The Dunning-Kruger effect explains that the problem isn’t just that they are misinformed; it’s that they are completely unaware that they are misinformed. This creates a double burden.” – Simon Vuko
