David Dunning

David Dunning is a psychologist known for researching how people evaluate their own abilities, particularly the tendency to overestimate their competence. He co-developed the "Dunning-Kruger effect," which describes how individuals with limited knowledge or skills in a domain often believe they are much more competent than they actually are. This phenomenon occurs because their lack of expertise prevents them from recognizing their errors or understanding their limitations. Dunning's work highlights the importance of self-awareness and the challenges of accurately assessing one's own abilities, emphasizing that confidence isn't always linked to actual competence.