underconfidence bias

Underconfidence bias is a cognitive bias where individuals underestimate their knowledge or ability in a certain area, often leading to cautious decision-making or avoidance of sharing their thoughts. In the context of general knowledge, someone might have the correct answer to a trivia question but doubt themselves, resulting in hesitation to speak up or participate. This can prevent them from accurately representing their knowledge and limit engagement in discussions, despite their actual competence. Essentially, it’s a disconnect between what a person knows and their confidence in that knowledge.