Trivially informative semantic context inflates people's confidence they can perform a highly complex skill.
Kayla Jordan1, Rachel Zajac2, Daniel Bernstein3
1School of Psychology, The University of Waikato, 1 Knighton Road, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
Royal Society Open Science
|March 21, 2022
Summary
Experiencing fluency, even from watching a video, can increase overconfidence in skills like landing a plane. This suggests contextual information can create illusions of competence, even for implausible abilities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Overconfidence may stem from personality, lack of insight, or adaptive benefits.
- Fluency in experience can rapidly induce overconfidence in various skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the limits of overconfidence.
- To determine if contextual fluency can create illusions of ability for implausible tasks.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with a total of 780 participants.
- Participants watched a video of a pilot landing a plane or did not.
- Confidence in their own plane-landing ability was then assessed.
Main Results:
- Watching the video significantly inflated participants' confidence in their ability to land a plane.
- This effect occurred despite the task's inherent implausibility for the average person.
Conclusions:
- Increased semantic context can generate illusions of competence and ability.
- Even brief exposure to related information can lead to overconfidence in performing complex, implausible tasks.
More Related Videos
06:57Utilizing Electroencephalography Measurements for Comparison of Task-Specific Neural Efficiencies: Spatial Intelligence Tasks
Published on: August 9, 2016
11.6K
07:31A Computerized Functional Skills Assessment and Training Program Targeting Technology Based Everyday Functional Skills
Published on: February 13, 2020
7.0K
Related Concept Videos
01:04Social Facilitation
33.4K
Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.
33.4K
01:24Confidence Coefficient
7.9K
The confidence coefficient is also known as the confidence level or degree of confidence. It is the percent expression for the probability, 1-α, that the confidence interval contains the true population parameter assuming that the confidence interval is obtained after sufficient unbiased sampling; for example, if the CL = 90%, then in 90 out of 100 samples the interval estimate will enclose the true population parameter. Here α is the area under the curve, distributed equally under...
7.9K
02:16Self-Schemas
32.9K
In general, a schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
32.9K
01:29Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
17
The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...
17
01:24Implicit Memories
208
Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...
One key aspect of implicit...
208
02:16Stereotype Content Model
14.9K
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence...
14.9K