Sunday October 25, 2009

Dunning Kruger Effect

Can you honestly say you have never been effected by the Dunning Kruger effect? I can't. In fact I can see many situations when I was an "incompetent individual". Most memorable was when I was doing my 1st open water dives in the sea in around 1995. I really had no clue the degree to which the coast off Plymouth in April would be different in terms of depth, tide, visibility, temperature and general confusion from the swimming pool. I knew it would be different, but underestimated how different. I over estimated my ability at that time and as I my training continued more gaps in my skills we exposed to me as I learned more.

We probably all think would be better at playing politics than the current set of muppets/great and the good are. Is this just an example of the Dunning Kruger Effect?

This is the core of their hypothesis:-

With a typical skill which humans may possess in greater or lesser degree,

1) Incompetent individuals tend to overestimate their own level of skill.

2) Incompetent individuals fail to recognize genuine skill in others.

3) Incompetent individuals fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy.

4) If they can be trained to substantially improve their own skill level, these individuals can recognize and acknowledge their own previous lack of skill.

This fits quite well with the 4 stages of competence .

After 12 years as a Program Leader, doing my best to walk the walk, Rational Process from Kepner-Tregoe has helped me recognize this effect in action both in myself and others and has given us tools to deal with it. Until now I did not have a tag for it, thanks Chris.

Clive

(2009-10-25 06:59:09.0) Permalink