The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low competence in a particular area overestimate their own abilities and knowledge, while highly competent individuals may underestimate theirs. This overestimation stems from a lack of self-awareness and metacognitive ability; the very skills needed to perform well in a domain are also needed to accurately assess one's proficiency. The effect was first described in 1999 by psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger, whose research found that poor performers often believed they did far better than they actually did.
