Better-Than-Average Effect (Illusory Superiority)
People tend to rate themselves above average on desirable traits, a bias partly driven by self-serving and idiosyncratic definitions of those traits.
THE IDEA
The better-than-average effect (also known as illusory superiority) refers to the tendency for individuals to overestimate their own abilities, qualities, and performance relative to others. This cognitive bias is especially pronounced for traits that are subjectively defined, allowing people to select criteria that favor themselves.
A study by Dunning, Meyerowitz, and Holzberg (1989) involved Cornell University students rating themselves in athletics, artistic talent, and extracurricular activity. Participants initially provided percentile rankings. In a second round, some participants (own-criteria group) were asked to list the specific evidence they considered when evaluating themselves (e.g., specific abilities, habits, behaviors), and then re-rate themselves considering only that evidence. Others (yoked-criteria group) were given a list of criteria generated by a previous participant and asked to self-evaluate using only those criteria. The control group simply re-rated themselves without any additional instructions.
Results showed that participants in the own-criteria group rated themselves more highly than those in the yoked or control conditions. This demonstrates that when people are allowed to define the criteria for a trait themselves, they tend to select criteria that are self-flattering, leading to inflated self-assessments. The criteria people choose can shape what a trait means in their self-assessment.
When to use it
Performance appraisals: Employees may define productivity or teamwork in ways that favor themselves, leading to inflated self-ratings.
College admissions: Applicants might highlight personal achievements that align with their own definition of 'leadership' or 'creativity', overlooking broader standards.
Team collaboration: When assigning roles, individuals may overestimate their relative skill in a domain because they focus on their own specific strengths rather than the team's overall needs.
Self-help and personal growth: Recognizing this bias can help individuals adopt more objective criteria for self-evaluation, leading to more accurate goal-setting and improvement.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Health Consciousness Self-Rating
In the experiment, participants considering the trait 'Health Conscious' were asked to list concrete evidence. An example list included: 'Avoids red meat,' 'Goes to aerobics,' 'Doesn’t smoke,' and 'Goes to doctor regularly.' By focusing on the evidence they themselves choose, individuals are more likely to see themselves as above average.
Artistic Talent in Daily Life
Someone rating their artistic ability may focus on doodling and arranging photographs, while another person thinks of painting or sculpture. Comparing the ratings without agreeing on criteria can hide these different definitions.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Think of a trait where you consider yourself above average. What specific criteria do you use? Would others use the same criteria to define that trait?
How might your personal definition of 'success' or 'intelligence' lead you to overestimate your standing compared to peers?
Can you recall a time when you realized that the standards you used to judge yourself were different from those used by others in a group?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Heuristics and Biases The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment (Thomas Gilovich, Dale Griffin, Daniel Kahneman)