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Real knowledge Is to Know the Extent of One’s Ignorance. - (Confucius)
Dunning et al conducts a study in 2003 that supports the Dunning-Kruger Effect. This effect postulates that low performers are more likely than high performers to make inaccurate judgments about their abilities. What the study found was that low performers tend to overestimate by 30-40% while high performers are more accurate.
In the study, 141 student participants, upon completion of a class exam, were asked ‘to estimate their scores on the exam (Perceived Test Performance)’ and ‘how well they think they compare to other students (Perceived Mastery of Materials).’ Then the study looks at their real exam scores (Actual Test Performance) and compares it to the ratings to the above two questions. What did the results show? Higher performers, students who aced the exams, tend to be accurate about their estimations (they don’t overestimate and only underestimates by a little), while low performers (people who didn’t ace the exams) overestimates by like 10 to 40%. Furthermore, the results indicate that the lower the performance, the higher the overestimations.This study clearly demonstrates what is called Dunning-Kruger Effect, where people’s ignorance sometimes lead them to misjudge their own abilities. Real life example? You watch a sport, you think you can play just as well, you try, you fail miserably, and realize just how good you are. Referencing back to the study, the students who overestimates will mostly gain insight into their abilities. Hence, Confucius says “Real Knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.’ But what the study also discovers is that people do not intentionally overestimate their abilities. In one other study, the participants were told that they would get pay more (from 10$ to 100$) if their estimates are more accurate. However, the results did not change. Low performers still overestimates by the same amount. Also known as the Double Curse, the same set of skills or knowledge that are used to perform are the same ones that are used to assess performance. In the study for example, the people who aced the exam are more likely to know how well they actually did because they were not guessing like the low performers did.
In summary, the study supports the Dunning-Kruger Effect that postulates that the same set of skills or knowledge used to perform are the same ones to make accurate judgments about abilities and that lack of skills or knowledge can cause one to lack insights into real abilities.
© 2011 Psych-facts.tumblr.com
Source for reference
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Thinking About What Gift to Give? Just Ask.
Researchers found that people appreciate gifts more if the gifts are something they’ve asked for compared to surprise gifts. In one study, 90 participants created Amazon wish-lists. Half were randomly assigned to either a ‘gift-giver’ or ‘gift-receiver’ condition. For the ‘gift-giver,’ the participants saw the wish-lists of the gift-receivers. Then half of gift-givers were instructed to choose a surprise gift or one that is on the receivers’ lists. They found that gift-receivers were more appreciative of gifts when the gifts were something on their wish-list. Furthermore, the study found that gift-givers didn’t think that what gifts they gave would affect how appreciative the gift-receiver would be.
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