The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which individuals with low ability or knowledge in a particular domain tend to overestimate their competence, while those with high ability or knowledge may underestimate their competence. This psychological phenomenon was first identified by social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger in 1999.
The Dunning-Kruger effect arises due to a lack of self-awareness and metacognitive skills. Individuals with low ability may not recognize their incompetence because they lack the knowledge needed to accurately evaluate their own performance. On the other hand, individuals with high ability often assume that others share their level of knowledge or competence, leading them to underestimate their relative performance.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is often represented as a curve, with confidence plotted on the vertical axis and competence on the horizontal axis. The curve initially rises steeply, representing low-competence individuals who overestimate their abilities. Then, it drops as people gain more knowledge and become more aware of their limitations. Finally, the curve rises again as individuals gain genuine expertise and their confidence in their abilities becomes justified.