You don't know what you don't know.
A phrase I’ve used for many years, especially when discussing expertise and self-awareness. While we can gain knowledge and develop expertise, true mastery is rare. Many of us remain learners rather than experts, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability or knowledge in a particular domain overestimate their own competence. It’s not a psychological disorder but a well-documented phenomenon in human cognition. First brilliantly published by psychologists Dr. David Dunning and Dr. Justin Kruger in 1999 (here), the effect highlights the irony that the less someone knows, the more confident they may feel simply because they lack the awareness or metacognition to recognise their own limitations!
We may all be “experts” in our own experiences, but memory is fallible, and our recollections can be shaped by emotions, biases, and the passage of time. The challenge lies in distinguishing genuine expertise from overconfidence based on limited knowledge.
How often do we come across individuals who assert their expertise, only to discover their knowledge is superficial, outdated, or filled with misconceptions? This is especially evident in research and co-production efforts that claim inclusivity but only engage select groups, leaving critical gaps in understanding. This isn’t just a personal failing, it’s a systemic issue, shaped by power dynamics that influence education, healthcare, and policy-making.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Hypermobility and Neurodivergence
In the hypermobility and neurodivergence communities, we see this effect frequently. Professionals, policy makers, influencers, or even celebrities may assume they understand conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), Hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) plus associated conditions, Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia based on outdated training or personal assumptions. This overconfidence can lead to:
Misdiagnoses and medical gaslighting
Stigma and dismissal of patient experiences
Inadequate or even harmful support and interventions
Generalist assumptions that we all have the same presentations and symptoms
For those of us navigating these conditions, encountering professionals who claim certainty but lack current, nuanced understanding can be frustrating and damaging.
Encouraging Intellectual Humility
So, what can we do?
Foster curiosity:Encourage a mindset of lifelong learning rather than rigid certainty.
Open mindedness: Always keep an open mind even if you are certain, things evolve.
Value lived experience alongside research: Both are crucial in building a comprehensive understanding.
Promote intellectual humility: A true expert is not someone who claims to know everything, but someone who acknowledges the immense scope of what is yet to be understood.
Let’s always strive to remain learners, challenge our assumptions, and cultivate spaces where questioning and listening are valued as much as knowledge itself
(and yes, I write this as a lay amateur communicator, not an expert social psychologist!)
by Jane Green MBE Chair/Founder SEDSConnective
Comments