Abstract
The Lake Wobegon Effect is a general tendency for people to overestimate their own abilities. In this study, the authors conducted a large, nationally-representative survey of U.S. citizens to test whether Americans overestimate their own gun-relevant personality traits, gun safety knowledge, and ability to use a gun in an emergency. The authors also tested how gun control attitudes, political identification, gender, and gun experience affect self-perceptions. Consistent with prior research on the Lake Wobegon Effect, participants overestimated their gun-related competencies. Conservatives, males, and pro-gun advocates self-enhanced somewhat more than their counterparts but this effect was primarily due to increased gun experience among these participants. These findings are important to policymakers in the area of gun use, because overconfidence in one’s gun-related abilities may lead to a reduced perceived need for gun training.
Highlights
The Lake Wobegon Effect is a general tendency for people to overestimate their own abilities
We test whether there is a Lake Wobegon Effect for gun safety knowledge, one’s perceptions of their ability to use a gun in an emergency, and the more general personality traits of responsibility, control over temper, and judgement
We extend the work of Ehrlinger et al (2008) to a representative national sample and ask if citizens of the United States have accurate perceptions regarding their own gun-relevant personality traits, gun safety knowledge, and ability to use a gun in an emergency
Summary
The Lake Wobegon Effect is a general tendency for people to overestimate their own abilities. The authors conducted a large, nationally-representative survey of U.S citizens to test whether Americans overestimate their own gun-relevant personality traits, gun safety knowledge, and ability to use a gun in an emergency. Consistent with prior research on the Lake Wobegon Effect, participants overestimated their gun-related competencies. Conservatives, males, and pro-gun advocates self-enhanced somewhat more than their counterparts but this effect was primarily due to increased gun experience among these participants. These findings are important to policymakers in the area of gun use, because overconfidence in one’s gun-related abilities may lead to a reduced perceived need for gun training. Stark & Sachau of professors rated themselves as above average teachers (Cross, 1977), and only 1% of 800,000 high school students rated their own social skills as “less than average” (College Board, 1976–1977)
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