Chapter 1
The illusion of knowing it all
Chapter 2
The ancient fight for intellectual humility
Chapter 3
The urge to direct other people's lives
Chapter 4
Dealing with the unearned experts
YOUR GOAL
Master of Why the loudest voices often know the least
Ch 1 · The illusion of knowing it all
persephonepraxadike We undervalue our unique skills because we wrongly assume that what comes naturally to us is easy for
persephonepraxadike Dunning-Kruger Effect
You think you know it all (but you're getting it wrong, oh-oh) Too blind to see what you don't know (what you don't know, yeah)
persephonepraxadike Highly skilled experts constantly underestimate their own specialized knowledge.
persephonepraxadike In cognitive models, students must push past Mt. Stupid into the Valley of Despair to grasp a subject's
persephonepraxadike A charismatic man poses for a styled editorial studio portrait.
BETA
persephonepraxadike Dodge unqualified advice to learn how to protect your goals from pushy critics.
Fun Fact
Invisible ink mistake: McArthur Wheeler actually tested the lemon juice on his face with a Polaroid camera before the robberies, but accidentally pointed the camera at the ceiling.
Glossary
dunning-kruger effect (noun)
A cognitive bias in which individuals with limited competence in a domain overestimate their abilities. Psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger first identified this bias at Cornell University in 1999.
A cognitive bias in which individuals with limited competence in a domain overestimate their abilities. Psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger first identified this bias at Cornell University in 1999.
Quiz
In cognitive bias models, what is the humorous name given to the initial peak of high confidence and low knowledge?
persephonepraxadike McArthur Wheeler wore lemon juice to hide from security cameras
Quiz
In 1995, what household liquid did bank robber McArthur Wheeler apply to his face in the mistaken belief it would make him invisible?
persephonepraxadike The double burden of incompetence prevents accurate self-evaluation
Quiz
What cognitive term describes our ability to think about our own thinking and accurately evaluate our performance?
Quiz
What happens to a person's confidence as they move past 'Mt. Stupid' and begin to actually master a complex subject?
Quiz
What is the psychological phenomenon where highly skilled experts mistakenly assume their tasks are easy for everyone else?
Quiz
What property of lemon juice did robber McArthur Wheeler try to exploit, which is commonly used in children's science experiments?
Quiz
According to Dunning and Kruger's 1999 research, which group of people was most accurate at estimating their own test scores?
Quiz
Which two Cornell University researchers published the landmark 1999 study on how people with low ability overestimate their skills?