Overclaiming is not related to dark triad personality traits or stated and revealed risk preferences.

Lucas Keller,Peter M Gollwitzer,Maik Bieleke,Kim-Marie Koppe,Christiane Schwieren

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0255207

Lucas Keller, Peter M Gollwitzer + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255207

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Abstract

The tendency to be overly confident in one's future and skills has long been studied. More recently, a correlate of this overconfidence, the tendency to overclaim knowledge, has been in the focus of research. Its antecedents and downstream behavioral consequences are still in question. In a sample of undergraduate students (N = 168), we tested whether a set of characteristics of the person (e.g., age, gender) and personality traits (i.e., the Dark Triad) is related to overclaiming knowledge. Moreover, we investigated whether overclaiming, in turn, predicts risk preferences. To this end, we asked individuals to rate their confidence in solving a set of different math problems and their familiarity with a set of math concepts. Some of these concepts were nonexistent, thereby allowing participants to overclaim knowledge. Participants then stated their general risk preference and performed three tasks revealing their general, financial, and social risk preferences. We demonstrated the hypothesized relationship between overclaiming and confidence. Furthermore, we observed that the assessed characteristics of the person were not correlated with overclaiming. If anything, height and digit ratio, a phenomenological correlate of hormonal differences during development, tended to be associated with overclaiming. Surprisingly, overclaiming was not at all related to risk preferences or personality traits. This set of results shows the need for relevant theoretical and methodological refinements.

Highlights

Being confident about one’s skills and abilities is arguably essential for setting and attaining one’s goals
In research on an assessment of overclaiming tendencies based on vocabulary knowledge, the authors found a correlation (r = .19) between overclaiming and the self-reported willingness to take risks [17]. This is Overclaiming is not related to dark triad personality traits or stated and revealed risk preferences plausible, as indicating knowledge against one’s better knowledge itself constitutes a risky behavior as there is always a chance that one is tested and subsequently caught lying
Overclaiming is not related to dark triad personality traits or stated and revealed risk preferences economics

Summary

Introduction

Being confident about one’s skills and abilities is arguably essential for setting and attaining one’s goals. When judging the feasibility of one’s desires, an accurate perception of one’s competences is necessary to discriminate the realizable desires from the impossible ones [1]. A helpful dose of confidence is a boon as it eases staying on track or leads to persistence in the face of obstacles [2,3,4]. Entails several downsides and may lead to risky situations. Being too confident in one’s driving ability, for instance, may lead to accidents when demands exceed the actual skill level, such as when.

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