When Knowledge Knows No Bounds

Introduction

People in most cases over-predict their knowledge, in most cases affirming knowledge of events concepts and even people not even present in the universe and can never be known which is referred to as over-claiming (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). The authors were seeking to establish the primary causes of such proclamations of an impossible knowledge. The study established that individuals are used to over-claiming to a degree that their view their personal proficiency positively. In addition, self-perceived proficiency in regard to certain areas is connected directly with the over-claiming in regard to those aspects. The research was driven by the need to establish whether individuals can fully differentiate amid what they know and what is not known. This was grounded on a thesis that proposed, individuals are not always accurate in knowledge judgment as in most cases they over project their knowledge (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). The research was centered on an individual’s self-perceived role in certain areas such as finance. It is suggested by different studies that performance impressions in regard to proficiency which creates a sensation of knowledge that triggers over-claiming (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015).

Design

The study utilized a qualitative method following descriptive design. The research was accomplished by conducting two studies where the first one only had 100 participants (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). This included 33 females and 66 men with the average age of 31 years and standard deviation of 9.7 (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). Three participants did not take part in the study as one withdrew and two failed to complete the process (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). The second study had 201 participants with 85 females and 115 men with two of them having not accounted their gender leading to an average age of 33 and 10.1 standard deviations. 12 participants were excluded for failure to complete the processes in the research (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). Data was collected by the use of questionnaires filling where informed consent forms were filled prior to the participation to affirm that the study was deliberate and confidential. The study involved filling knowledge in regard to financial related concepts. Six knowledge cut of was utilized as the measures of control (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015).

Results

The study involved measuring over-claiming by totaling the false alarm level which is the sign of the non-existence of the knowledge that the participants had claimed to be having (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). Based on the high claim of familiarity with financial related knowledge the results demonstrated a rather positive association amid self-professed knowledge and over-claiming. It was established that the primary force that leads to over-claiming is based on self-professed knowledge in regard to a certain field such as finance. There is thus, a positive association amid, self-proclaimed knowledge in a given field and the potential of over-claiming (Atir, Rosenzweig & Dunning, 2015). The results, therefore, asserts that familiarity is a causative of overclaiming.

Application

The hypothesis of the study is that familiarity of a certain expertise leads to over-claiming based on the assumption of proficiency. It is obvious that most of the knowledge proclaimed by individuals is not in existence. The results support the study’s hypothesis. This results can be utilized in actual life in determining an individual’s proficiency in certain domains. In that claiming is obvious but knowledge is something that can be assessed. In psychology, this can be utilized to gauge the knowledge that one possesses and whether their claims are real or based on assumptions. Increased knowledge can in general affects the results.

Conclusion

In most cases, individuals both females and males over-estimate their knowledge in regard to certain given fields. In that, this knowledge might not be known or in existence. The study’s results demonstrate a clear and positive association amid familiarity and the likelihood of overestimation. Individuals tend to overestimate their knowledge on the basis of proficiency thus claiming knowledge that not exist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Atir S., Rosenzweig E., and Dunning, D. (2015). When Knowledge Knows No Bounds: Self-Perceived Expertise Predicts Claims of Impossible Knowledge. Psychological Science Vol. 26(8) 1295 –1303. DOI: 10.1177/0956797615588195. SAGE.