你聽說過心理學上的 “鄧寧-克魯格效應” 嗎？它指一些人由於對自身能力和知識的局限性缺乏認知，因此會高估自己的水平，從而表現得過度自信。與之相反的情況則是 “智性謙遜”。它指一些人瞭解並承認自己在能力和知識上的局限性，因此可以更準確地判斷自己的水平。本期 “隨身英語” 討論為什麼我們應該瞭解自身能力的局限性。
詞匯：awareness 認知，意識
Humans can be poor judges of their own ability. So, you might not be as good, or as bad, as you think you are. Psychologists have found the less expertise you have in something, the more likely you are to overestimate your competence in it. And in a digital era where self-assured social media influencers give you ‘life hacks’, and face-to-face conversation is more limited, this psychological phenomenon seems important to remember.
This concept is called the Dunning-Kruger effect, named after the psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger. Back in the 90s, they found a correlation between a person’s lack of skills and ability and a lack of awareness of lack of ability. They are ignorant to their own limitations. This plays out in various areas of life, such as in medical diagnosis. For example, Dunning told AYYBLOG Radio 4 that, one third of the time, doctors disagree with patients who self-diagnose using internet sources rather than seeing a medical professional. Whether it’s judging jokes, logical reasoning, or grammar, the pattern is the same: the less skilled you are, the more over-confident you are.
On the flip side is intellectual humility. This means having a modest or low view of your importance or abilities. Elizabeth J. Krumrei-Mancuso, Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, found that a higher willingness to acknowledge cognitive limitations, and the ability to embrace diverse perspectives, is connected with a more accurate perception of intelligence.
How can we use this knowledge to help us in everyday life? Tenelle Porter, a psychologist at Rowan University, told the AYYBLOG that knowing this “opens us up to being intellectually humble, to admitting everything that we don’t yet know”. And current studies suggest that those with higher intellectual humility are more open to negotiating, compromising and exploring information.
So, embrace the unknown and remember, there’s always more to learn.
詞匯表
judge 評判者，裁判
expertise 專業知識
overestimate 高估
competence 能力
self-assured 自信的
phenomenon 現象
lack 缺乏
ignorant 無知的
limitation 局限
skilled 有技能的
over-confident 過度自信的，自負的
intellectual humility 智性謙遜，認識並承認自己能力的局限性
modest 謙遜的
willingness 意願
perspective 觀點，看待問題的角度
humble 謙虛的
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Who is most likely to overestimate their competence in something?
2. What correlation did Dunning and Kruger find?
3. Who do doctors disagree with one third of the time, and what do they disagree about?
4. What is intellectual humility?
5. True or false? People with high intellectual humility are more open to negotiating.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Her _______ to accept feedback makes her a better candidate.
expertise awareness willingness ignorance
2. The visa is for professionals only. That’s why it’s called a _______ worker visa.
humble overconfident modest skilled
3. Watching the news can really put your own suffering into _______.
humility limitation perspective competence
4. This dish doesn’t have much flavour. It’s _______ salt, I think.
lacking judging correlating admitting
5. Paula isn’t shy. In fact, she’s the opposite – _______!
intellectual able accurate confident
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Who is most likely to overestimate their competence in something?
Those with less expertise.
2. What correlation did Dunning and Kruger find?
They found a correlation between a person’s lack of skills and ability and a lack of awareness of their lack of ability.
3. Who do doctors disagree with one third of the time, and what do they disagree about?
Dunning told AYYBLOG Radio 4 that, one third of the time, doctors disagree with patients who self-diagnose using internet sources rather than seeing a medical professional.
4. What is intellectual humility?
Having a modest or lower view of your importance or abilities.
5. True or false? People with high intellectual humility are more open to negotiating.
True. Current studies suggest that those with higher intellectual humility are more open to negotiating.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Her willingness to accept feedback makes her a better candidate.
2. The visa is for professionals only. That’s why it’s called a skilled worker visa.
3. Watching the news can really put your own suffering into perspective.
4. This dish doesn’t have much flavour. It’s lacking salt, I think.
5. Paula isn’t shy. In fact, she’s the opposite – confident!
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