In several previous articles, I touched on the topic of cognitive distortions - systematic errors in our brain that lead to incorrect interpretation of incoming information, leading to erroneous conclusions and decisions. In addition to a general description of the phenomenon of cognitive distortions, more Two of the most well-known biases were discussed in detail: the “Survivorship Bias” and the “Fundamental Attribution Error.” In this article, I want to continue the topic and talk about the perception bias known as the “Dunning-Kruger Effect.” The Dunning-Kruger Effect was first described in 1999 year by two psychologists: David Dunning and Justin Kruger. This psychological phenomenon is that people with low levels of competence in a certain area often overestimate their abilities and do not recognize their mistakes. Thus, if a person reaches a level where his knowledge and experience are no longer sufficient to make quality decisions, he also loses the ability to realize that his qualifications do not correspond to the tasks facing him. Such a person cannot qualitatively correlate the correspondence of his abilities and skills to the requirements of the situation - he is completely confident that he is right and does not see the need to change anything. Unfortunately, this situation often leads to very painful consequences in various areas of human activity, when people high positions again and again make disastrous decisions, confident that they are acting for the benefit of others. The Dunning-Kruger effect manifests itself in all areas of human relations where any hierarchy of competencies, no matter how small, is present. For example, in business, it can lead to poor decisions that can negatively impact the company. In medicine, it can lead to incorrect diagnosis and treatment of patients. The flip side of the Dunning-Kruger effect is a situation where people with a high level of competence often underestimate their abilities and are not aware of their achievements. They may be too critical of themselves and not see their successes. This may be caused in part by another cognitive bias called the Negative Mental Filter. We will definitely talk about this distortion in one of the following articles. To avoid falling under the influence of the Dunning-Kruger effect, you need to be aware of your weaknesses and not overestimate your abilities. It is important to constantly learn and develop to increase your level of competence. It is also useful to receive feedback from other people to learn about your mistakes and shortcomings. The Dunning-Kruger effect is a very powerful cognitive distortion that can affect our lives and decision-making. Understanding this effect will help us become more conscious and successful in various areas of life. Sincerely, Your psychologist, Igor Anatolyevich Shiryaev