Illusion of asymmetric insight

The illusion of asymmetric insight is a cognitive bias whereby people perceive their knowledge of others to surpass other people's knowledge of themselves. This bias seems to be due to the conviction that observed behaviors are more revealing of others than self, while private thoughts and feelings are more revealing of the self.[1]

A study finds that people seem to believe that they know themselves better than their peers know themselves and that their social group knows and understands other social groups better than other social groups know them.[1] For example: Person A knows Person A better than Person B knows Person B or Person A. This bias may be sustained by a few cognitive beliefs, including:

A group of studies, performed by Pronin, Kruger, Savitsky, & Ross (2001) points to several different manifestations of the illusion of asymmetric insight:[1]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Pronin E, Kruger J, Savitsky K, Ross L (October 2001). "You don't know me, but I know you: the illusion of asymmetric insight". J Pers Soc Psychol 81 (4): 639–56. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.81.4.639. PMID 11642351.

External links