Illusion of Superiority
We overestimate our qualities and abilities relative to others.
Illusion of superiority is a condition of cognitive bias whereby a person overestimates their own qualities and abilities, in relation to the same qualities and abilities of other persons. Also called the Lake Wobegon effect or above-average effect, it is a specific instance of overconfidence. Most drivers rate themselves as above average in skill, which is statistically impossible for the majority.
What it looks like in the wild.
- Everyday life Above-Average Driving In surveys, 80–90% of drivers rate themselves as above-average drivers, a statistical impossibility demonstrating widespread illusion of superiority.
Recognising a definition is not the same skill as spotting it.
Two scenarios from the app, with distractors drawn from the same family of biases — which is what makes them hard.
When a group project at work has issues, Dana assumes it's because her colleagues didn't execute her plan well, not because her plan itself had flaws.
When his neighbor buys a new car, Sam thinks, 'My car is still in better condition; I just take much better care of it.'
Biases rarely arrive alone.
Understand more. Assume less.
188 biases, 18,869 scenarios, and a record of how you actually decide.
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