There are several reasons why know-it-alls think they know more than others. One of these is the phenomenon of “pure realism”. According to him, people instinctively assume that their perceptions of the world reflect objective reality. But in reality, everything we know about the world is filtered through a complex web of cognitive biases, sensory shortcuts, shifting memories filled with emotions, and much more. What we accept as reality in our heads is often significantly different from reality. However, we are never aware that this is happening.
As a result, we regularly encounter people whose understanding of the world is very different from our own. However, according to naive realism, we assume that those who understand the world differently are wrong. This leads to an irresistible desire to “fix” others.
Another cognitive distortion we encounter regularly is the “illusion of adequacy of information.” Simply put, most of us assume otherwise, even though we don’t have the knowledge to make good decisions. Logically, it is very difficult to realize and take into account what we do not know.
The combination of the illusion of sufficient knowledge and naive realism can lead a person to believe that he knows more than he actually does.
But there is something else. This may be due to status. Some people care more about social status and may constantly impose their opinions on others to show their superiority and dominance.
The human brain also typically requires a sense of autonomy, the desire to control one’s environment. Some may want this more than others, and what better way to achieve this than by dictating what others should think?
Finally, the Dunning-Kruger effect may also have an impact. In this cognitive bias, people with limited competence in a particular area tend to overestimate their abilities. This means they will confidently argue with someone who has more information.
Source: Ferra
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