Why Incompetent People Think They're Amazing

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Why Incompetent People Think They're Amazing

Knowing how competent we are and how our skills stack up against other people 's
is more than a self-esteem boost.
It helps us figure out when we can forge ahead on our own decisions and instincts,
and when we need, instead, to seek out advice.
But psychological research suggests that we're not very good at evaluating ourselves accurately.
In fact, we frequently overestimate our own abilities.
Researchers have a name for this phenomenon : the Dunning-Kruger effect.
This effect explains why more than a hundred studies have shown that people display illusory superiority.
We judge ourselves as better than others to a degree that violates the laws of math.
When software engineers at two companies were asked to rate their performance,
32 % of the engineers at one company and 42 % at the other put themselves in the top 5 %.

Knowing how competent we are and how our skills stack up against other people 's
and
are
we
our
how
up
people
's
other
against
stack
skills
Knowing
competent
is more than a self-esteem boost.
is
a
more
than
self-esteem
boost
It helps us figure out when we can forge ahead on our own decisions and instincts,
and
on
can
we
our
It
out
when
own
ahead
us
helps
figure
decisions
forge
instincts
and when we need, instead, to seek out advice.
and
to
we
need
out
when
advice
seek
instead
But psychological research suggests that we're not very good at evaluating ourselves accurately.
at
that
very
good
not
But
we're
ourselves
suggests
research
psychological
accurately
evaluating
In fact, we frequently overestimate our own abilities.
we
our
own
In fact
frequently
abilities
overestimate
Researchers have a name for this phenomenon : the Dunning-Kruger effect.
for
a
the
have
this
name
Researchers
phenomenon
Dunning-Kruger effect
This effect explains why more than a hundred studies have shown that people display illusory superiority.
This
a
that
more
have
people
why
than
explains
effect
hundred
studies
display
shown
illusory
superiority
We judge ourselves as better than others to a degree that violates the laws of math.
a
the
that
to
of
We
better
math
as
than
others
ourselves
degree
judge
laws
violates
When software engineers at two companies were asked to rate their performance,
two
at
to
When
their
were
asked
rate
performance
companies
software engineers
32 % of the engineers at one company and 42 % at the other put themselves in the top 5 %.
and
at
in
the
of
put
company
one
other
top
engineers
themselves