Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger Effect

Using a quantitative approach, this study examines the confidence accuracy relationship of eyewitness memory and observation skills and explores the relationship between self-perception and accuracy (The Dunning Kruger Effect). The present study has three purposes. The first purpose is to highlight...

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Main Authors: Megan Sheridan, Bailey Howard, Richelle Pang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Humber Press 2024-08-01
Series:Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/article/view/192
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author Megan Sheridan
Bailey Howard
Richelle Pang
author_facet Megan Sheridan
Bailey Howard
Richelle Pang
author_sort Megan Sheridan
collection DOAJ
description Using a quantitative approach, this study examines the confidence accuracy relationship of eyewitness memory and observation skills and explores the relationship between self-perception and accuracy (The Dunning Kruger Effect). The present study has three purposes. The first purpose is to highlight the importance of understanding one's limitations and self-assessment abilities to ensure effective training and preparedness for high-stress situations of a police officer. The second purpose is to show that eyewitness memory accounts in consequential settings such as court should not rely on confidence as an indicator of accuracy. The third purpose is to show that eyewitness accounts of police officers are not always more correct than those of civilians. Using Humber College’s Conflict Resolution FAAC Digital Simulator, 18 subjects (17 students and 1 police officer) were assigned to take part in a virtual, pre-recorded simulation experiment. Participants’ confidence in observation skills and their eyewitness memory abilities were assessed. Results found no correlation between confidence and accuracy in eyewitness memory, though it revealed that people can be extremely confident in their wrong answers, demonstrating that confidence is not always a good indicator of accuracy. Despite assumptions that police officers make better eyewitnesses, findings include that there was no significant difference in memory abilities between the police officer and Humber students.
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spelling doaj-art-e9ca548ed71a4c33b9440be4cab443e22025-08-20T03:45:18ZengHumber PressJournal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education2561-59042024-08-016110.69520/jipe.v6i.192Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger EffectMegan Sheridan0Bailey Howard1Richelle Pang2https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1083-980XHumber CollegeHumber CollegeHumber College Using a quantitative approach, this study examines the confidence accuracy relationship of eyewitness memory and observation skills and explores the relationship between self-perception and accuracy (The Dunning Kruger Effect). The present study has three purposes. The first purpose is to highlight the importance of understanding one's limitations and self-assessment abilities to ensure effective training and preparedness for high-stress situations of a police officer. The second purpose is to show that eyewitness memory accounts in consequential settings such as court should not rely on confidence as an indicator of accuracy. The third purpose is to show that eyewitness accounts of police officers are not always more correct than those of civilians. Using Humber College’s Conflict Resolution FAAC Digital Simulator, 18 subjects (17 students and 1 police officer) were assigned to take part in a virtual, pre-recorded simulation experiment. Participants’ confidence in observation skills and their eyewitness memory abilities were assessed. Results found no correlation between confidence and accuracy in eyewitness memory, though it revealed that people can be extremely confident in their wrong answers, demonstrating that confidence is not always a good indicator of accuracy. Despite assumptions that police officers make better eyewitnesses, findings include that there was no significant difference in memory abilities between the police officer and Humber students. https://jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/article/view/192eyewitness memorydunning kruger effectconfidence accuracyself-perception
spellingShingle Megan Sheridan
Bailey Howard
Richelle Pang
Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger Effect
Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education
eyewitness memory
dunning kruger effect
confidence accuracy
self-perception
title Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger Effect
title_full Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger Effect
title_fullStr Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger Effect
title_full_unstemmed Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger Effect
title_short Examining Confidence Accuracy, Observation Skills, and the Dunning Kruger Effect
title_sort examining confidence accuracy observation skills and the dunning kruger effect
topic eyewitness memory
dunning kruger effect
confidence accuracy
self-perception
url https://jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/article/view/192
work_keys_str_mv AT megansheridan examiningconfidenceaccuracyobservationskillsandthedunningkrugereffect
AT baileyhoward examiningconfidenceaccuracyobservationskillsandthedunningkrugereffect
AT richellepang examiningconfidenceaccuracyobservationskillsandthedunningkrugereffect