Speakers
Description
Who is the best judge of people’s abilities—they themselves or others? Research showed that strangers already know a lot about a person’s intelligence. In study 1, we compared the accuracy of self-, friend-, and stranger-estimates. We measured the verbal, numerical and spatial intelligence, creativity, and intra- and interpersonal competence of 175 young adults and collected self- and friend-estimates. Up to 14 strangers also rated the abilities at a speed-dating event. People themselves knew the most about the majority of their abilities but only friends and strangers, respectively, had insight into people’s verbal and spatial intelligence. If someone is unsure about their strengths and weaknesses, they might consult their romantic partners—a source with a lot of knowledge but also potential biases. In study 2—a registered report—we assessed the accuracy of self-, partner-, informant-, and acquaintance-estimates in 250 participants. By integrating both studies, we will point out self-other knowledge asymmetries for abilities, that is, which perspective knows what about abilities in a domain. We will then discuss potential recommendations for researchers and practitioners.
