Flutterby™! : Cocky beats correct

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Cocky beats correct

2009-06-16 15:39:41.450403+02 by Dan Lyke 5 comments

Anti-news, but at least the psychology profs are proving the obvious: Humans prefer cockiness to expertise.

The research, by Don Moore of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, shows that we prefer advice from a confident source, even to the point that we are willing to forgive a poor track record. Moore argues that in competitive situations, this can drive those offering advice to increasingly exaggerate how sure they are.

Via SE.

[ related topics: Psychology, Psychiatry and Personality Economics ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-16 15:47:07.900032+02 by: topspin

and thus we get Dick Cheney.

#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-16 16:17:50.887455+02 by: jeff

and Bill O'Reilly, and Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh...

Anyone see a trend here?

#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-16 21:08:51.924419+02 by: spc476

Barack Obama? Nancy Pelosi? Keith Olberman?

#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-17 00:58:55.243619+02 by: meuon

Why complain? It's how I make a living :)

#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-17 01:20:19.269853+02 by: Dan Lyke

Grins. Yep, meuon, I offer this not as a complaint, but as evidence to encourage certain behaviors.

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