Beyond Self-Delusion: The Science of Illusory Superiority

Hello there! If you’re reading this article, you’re likely curious about the fascinating world of cognitive biases and the impact they have on our daily lives. In this article, I am going to dive into the realm of illusory superiority — a bias that affects us all, regardless of our profession, education, or culture.

But before I dive into the details, let’s start with the basics. What exactly is illusory superiority, you may ask? Well, in a nutshell, it’s the tendency for people to overestimate their abilities, skills, and intelligence compared to others. It’s like the classic line from “The Emperor’s New Clothes” — everyone thinks they look fabulous, but in reality, they’re actually quite naked.

Now, before you start feeling down on yourself, don’t worry — this is a universal phenomenon that affects even the smartest and most accomplished individuals. In fact, studies have shown that over 90% of people suffer from illusory superiority in one form or another! It’s a sneaky little bias that creeps into our minds and clouds our judgment.

So, why should you care about illusory superiority? Well, for starters, it can have a significant impact on our personal and professional lives. It can lead us to make incorrect decisions, choose inappropriate courses of action, and even hurt our relationships…