Smart Or Dumb? Dunning-Kruger Effect

Are you smart or dumb? What would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10? I guess that the majority of people will mark themselves as above average. Obviously, being smart is something extraordinary thing that anyone wants to possess. There’s hardly anyone who doesn’t want to be smart. But do you know about the Dunning-Kruger effect?

Here’s the twist. Even if you are smart, do you really think that you actually are? Or if you think you are dumb and possess no confidence, have you looked closer?

If not it’s the right time to go into self-analysis and look for yourself because sometimes it’s not what it seems or we believe. Using quotes doesn’t make you smarter. You know paradox.

So, recently we created a poll on Instagram where we asked people what if life allows them to choose one of the following for the rest of their lives:

1. Smart but remain unlucky
2. Dumb but remain lucky

For many of us, it’s a crossroads. It is a really hard choice to make. But as expected majority of people chose option A, only a few people went with option B, and the rest just couldn’t able to pick up (probably the confused ones). But somewhere they also thought of option A but that unlucky pattern stopped them.

Although, that was just a trick question because we really want to know how many people really think of being smart. As I said, before reaching anything you should do self-analysis. Maybe you are a victim of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

What is the Dunning-Kruger Effect?

In 1999, two psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger came up with this phenomenon of illusory superiority.

This always remains a fact that dumb or less-skilled people always overestimate themselves whereas smart ones always underestimate themselves or sometimes even possess low confidence perhaps they thought that if it was easy for them, then it was easy for everyone.

However, Dunning and Kruger emphasized that the effect they had identified does not imply that people always overestimate their knowledge or competence.

Example of Dunning-Kruger Effect

It can better be understood by an example. For instance, in reality, in shows like American Idol or Indian Idol when bad singers get rejected they genuinely get disappointed because they don’t realize how bad they are.

Another example is a study published in 2018 indicating that people with very little knowledge about politics and Government are more likely than others to overestimate their knowledge of those topics.

Actually, we are not good at evaluating ourselves. As I said the majority of people will estimate themselves above average.

In another study, 80% of American drivers described themselves as having above-average driving skills.

Why do Dumb people exert more confidence?

Essentially low ability people do not possess the skills needed to recognize their own incompetence or lack of knowledge. Their poor self-awareness leads them to overestimate their own capabilities.

What this indicates is that less skilled people are more confident in their lives just because they don’t know what they don’t know.

That’s why it’s hard to win an argument against smart people but nearly impossible to win against dumb ones.

Smart people do possess some exceptional qualities but they often make some other mistakes. They mostly underestimate their ability by seeing others in confidence.

This is all just a paradox bridge between the skilled & less-skilled people that are influencing the level of confidence you exert.

Someone said it right. The more we study the less we know about it. The more you know, the more you get yourself in doubt and the more you realize how much you don’t know.

Smart or Dumb? / Conclusion

So, putting all the things together here comes the conclusion:

• If you think you are smart, likely, you are actually not because you might not know what you are missing?
• However, if you think you are dumb, it is likely that you might be smarter than others in that field and that thinking of dumb is because you strive for low confidence.

It’s a plot twist

But now you can confidently say: “I don’t know” and just walk by and study and educate yourself as much as possible. Thinking you are always right is a sign of foolishness. This is why it’s best not to assume or speak with absolutes.

Now tell me Are you Smart or Dumb? Here is the comment section.

Like and Share this post, after all, we’ve given you a topic that can be used when you are losing an argument or debate. Have a great day!