David Dunning
@daviddunning6.bsky.social
Studying the psychology underlying human misbelief.
Mary Ann and Charles R. Walgreen, Jr., Professor of the Study of Human Understanding, University of Michigan.
(PS. Neither Justin nor I named it that. Best career move we never made.)
he/him/his
Mary Ann and Charles R. Walgreen, Jr., Professor of the Study of Human Understanding, University of Michigan.
(PS. Neither Justin nor I named it that. Best career move we never made.)
he/him/his
Definitely bigger than June judging from that picture (& thus > 1400). I also resonate with the reply (below). If you had told me as a kid that the Dem Party had organized something in town, my response would have been "What Dem party?"
October 18, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Definitely bigger than June judging from that picture (& thus > 1400). I also resonate with the reply (below). If you had told me as a kid that the Dem Party had organized something in town, my response would have been "What Dem party?"
The Railway, Édouard Manet, 1873
(been going on for a very long time)
(been going on for a very long time)
October 5, 2025 at 11:10 PM
The Railway, Édouard Manet, 1873
(been going on for a very long time)
(been going on for a very long time)
A response that greatly summarizes my sentiments toward all those committees that summarize the worth of one's scientific work via # of pubs and h-statistics...
The direct question on Quora, though, is "Why is Eleanor Rigby (a 2 chord song, 4 at most) considered a great song?"
The direct question on Quora, though, is "Why is Eleanor Rigby (a 2 chord song, 4 at most) considered a great song?"
September 22, 2025 at 1:53 PM
A response that greatly summarizes my sentiments toward all those committees that summarize the worth of one's scientific work via # of pubs and h-statistics...
The direct question on Quora, though, is "Why is Eleanor Rigby (a 2 chord song, 4 at most) considered a great song?"
The direct question on Quora, though, is "Why is Eleanor Rigby (a 2 chord song, 4 at most) considered a great song?"
More and more, everyday, my main reaction is...
August 18, 2025 at 6:37 PM
More and more, everyday, my main reaction is...
I'm fascinated by those times when the implications of people's behavior just "goes over their head."
Always wanted to do research on it, but too easy to do mere demonstrations of it and need to identify the useful and informative story that would make the effort worthwhile and not just comedy.
Always wanted to do research on it, but too easy to do mere demonstrations of it and need to identify the useful and informative story that would make the effort worthwhile and not just comedy.
August 16, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I'm fascinated by those times when the implications of people's behavior just "goes over their head."
Always wanted to do research on it, but too easy to do mere demonstrations of it and need to identify the useful and informative story that would make the effort worthwhile and not just comedy.
Always wanted to do research on it, but too easy to do mere demonstrations of it and need to identify the useful and informative story that would make the effort worthwhile and not just comedy.
There are two Bs!
August 7, 2025 at 9:49 PM
There are two Bs!
Exactly on those questions when they were prone to extend the knowledge they had learned to circumstances where it didn’t necessarily apply. There, they were confident, but not competent.
So, what to make of education? No doubt, it is invaluable, but…
8/n
So, what to make of education? No doubt, it is invaluable, but…
8/n
July 25, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Exactly on those questions when they were prone to extend the knowledge they had learned to circumstances where it didn’t necessarily apply. There, they were confident, but not competent.
So, what to make of education? No doubt, it is invaluable, but…
8/n
So, what to make of education? No doubt, it is invaluable, but…
8/n
IWe then took to online studies, giving people brief video courses on global positioning systems (GPS), or a control topic (breadmaking). Afterward, GPS students were not only more confident answering questions about nonexistent terms, but they were also more… 5/n
July 25, 2025 at 3:33 PM
IWe then took to online studies, giving people brief video courses on global positioning systems (GPS), or a control topic (breadmaking). Afterward, GPS students were not only more confident answering questions about nonexistent terms, but they were also more… 5/n
But they also did the same to terms never discussed because those terms do not exist. We made them up in the office.
Apparently, students didn't have a completely accurate snapshot of their new “circle of competence.” Students contacted 2 years later continued to “recognize” these bogus terms. 3/n
Apparently, students didn't have a completely accurate snapshot of their new “circle of competence.” Students contacted 2 years later continued to “recognize” these bogus terms. 3/n
July 25, 2025 at 3:29 PM
But they also did the same to terms never discussed because those terms do not exist. We made them up in the office.
Apparently, students didn't have a completely accurate snapshot of their new “circle of competence.” Students contacted 2 years later continued to “recognize” these bogus terms. 3/n
Apparently, students didn't have a completely accurate snapshot of their new “circle of competence.” Students contacted 2 years later continued to “recognize” these bogus terms. 3/n
These are the two days the music died.
RIP
RIP
June 11, 2025 at 5:35 PM
These are the two days the music died.
RIP
RIP
A chatbot faces a moral dilemma...
May 14, 2025 at 11:06 PM
A chatbot faces a moral dilemma...
May 7, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Added bonus: Money can't buy self-awareness.
March 5, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Added bonus: Money can't buy self-awareness.
The law is replete with these type of questions. Can't use character evidence against a defendant, or the fact they didn't testify. Disregard that inadmissible evidence. We have juries of common folk and not experts or formuli reach verdicts. The bias against guilt is built in. All for good reason.
March 3, 2025 at 12:06 AM
The law is replete with these type of questions. Can't use character evidence against a defendant, or the fact they didn't testify. Disregard that inadmissible evidence. We have juries of common folk and not experts or formuli reach verdicts. The bias against guilt is built in. All for good reason.
How Dunning-Kruger works...
and travels.
and travels.
February 14, 2025 at 1:46 PM
How Dunning-Kruger works...
and travels.
and travels.
The sadness I feel when one misses the joy that could be had by bonding in the sarcasm expressed by another.
January 27, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The sadness I feel when one misses the joy that could be had by bonding in the sarcasm expressed by another.
A few days ago I got what I consider the most insight answer from a chatbot I've ever gotten. It's from one UMich has created that you can tune to specific classes you teach.
January 12, 2025 at 5:22 PM
A few days ago I got what I consider the most insight answer from a chatbot I've ever gotten. It's from one UMich has created that you can tune to specific classes you teach.
His was the first political campaign I ever worked on. One of few Democrats in a sea of hometown Republicans. Lived and died through all the travails of his Presidency and thought the world had ended when he lost four years later. As we knew it, maybe it did. 1/n
December 29, 2024 at 10:50 PM
His was the first political campaign I ever worked on. One of few Democrats in a sea of hometown Republicans. Lived and died through all the travails of his Presidency and thought the world had ended when he lost four years later. As we knew it, maybe it did. 1/n
“You will be visited by three spirits.”
The three spirits:
The three spirits:
December 24, 2024 at 4:48 AM
“You will be visited by three spirits.”
The three spirits:
The three spirits:
RIP Rickey Henderson
Have a flashbulb memory from the bleachers of Tiger Stadium in 1982 as he stole second base, running right at us.
At that perspective, you couldn't see the speed, but you were witness to the power of his running.
Have a flashbulb memory from the bleachers of Tiger Stadium in 1982 as he stole second base, running right at us.
At that perspective, you couldn't see the speed, but you were witness to the power of his running.
December 22, 2024 at 1:01 AM
RIP Rickey Henderson
Have a flashbulb memory from the bleachers of Tiger Stadium in 1982 as he stole second base, running right at us.
At that perspective, you couldn't see the speed, but you were witness to the power of his running.
Have a flashbulb memory from the bleachers of Tiger Stadium in 1982 as he stole second base, running right at us.
At that perspective, you couldn't see the speed, but you were witness to the power of his running.
Instead, partisans came up with the right answer more when it aligned with their politics through spurious reasoning that just happened to land them at the right conclusion (the maize panel).
To wit, they got to the right answer for wrong reasons. 10/n
To wit, they got to the right answer for wrong reasons. 10/n
December 20, 2024 at 8:12 PM
Instead, partisans came up with the right answer more when it aligned with their politics through spurious reasoning that just happened to land them at the right conclusion (the maize panel).
To wit, they got to the right answer for wrong reasons. 10/n
To wit, they got to the right answer for wrong reasons. 10/n
This is where we come in.
In our data, overall, the more congenial the gun control results, the more partisans saw the gun control data correctly (see the blue panel). Not so in the control condition about skin cream (see the maize panel).
(Didn’t chose the color scheme, but approve…) 8/n
In our data, overall, the more congenial the gun control results, the more partisans saw the gun control data correctly (see the blue panel). Not so in the control condition about skin cream (see the maize panel).
(Didn’t chose the color scheme, but approve…) 8/n
December 20, 2024 at 8:11 PM
This is where we come in.
In our data, overall, the more congenial the gun control results, the more partisans saw the gun control data correctly (see the blue panel). Not so in the control condition about skin cream (see the maize panel).
(Didn’t chose the color scheme, but approve…) 8/n
In our data, overall, the more congenial the gun control results, the more partisans saw the gun control data correctly (see the blue panel). Not so in the control condition about skin cream (see the maize panel).
(Didn’t chose the color scheme, but approve…) 8/n
Okay, if playing this game.
1976 Ford Pinto hatchback.
Made it through high school to graduate school without being rear-ended (IYKYK what that would have meant.)
1976 Ford Pinto hatchback.
Made it through high school to graduate school without being rear-ended (IYKYK what that would have meant.)
December 3, 2024 at 2:04 PM
Okay, if playing this game.
1976 Ford Pinto hatchback.
Made it through high school to graduate school without being rear-ended (IYKYK what that would have meant.)
1976 Ford Pinto hatchback.
Made it through high school to graduate school without being rear-ended (IYKYK what that would have meant.)