General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Low IQ & Conservative Beliefs Linked to Prejudice [View all]bhikkhu
(10,715 posts)"The DunningKruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than average, while the highly skilled underrate their own abilities. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their mistakes.[1]
Actual competence may weaken self-confidence, as competent individuals may falsely assume that others have an equivalent understanding."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
...which perhaps is inherent in psychology as a developmental stage - its been well-studied how toddlers almost universally overestimate their capacities and talents. I suppose some people grow out of that, and others just join the republican party.