# 53. Social manipulation ## 53.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ### 53.5.4. Dunning–Kruger effect Unfortunately, incompetent people often fail to realise that they are incompetent because they lack the skills to distinguish between competence and incompetence. People frequently mistakenly rate their ability much higher than average. Many of us will have noted the peculiar coincidence which manifests itself in some people, namely the potentially dangerous combination of ignorance and arrogance. The Dunning-Kruger effect is the name given to this phenomenon. It causes the often puzzling combination whereby a person may know almost nothing about a subject but yet proclaim great confidence in their knowledge about that field. A manipulator can take advantage of this phenomenon when they find and encourage an appropriate victim to take on more than they can manage, in a subject area where they really have little knowledge. This can clearly place the victim at the risk of making a big mistake, being discovered and suffering the consequences. This obviously won't work for every potential victim. Some of us know our limitations and will not be persuaded to pretend more knowledge than we actually have. However, there are plenty of suitable cases who can and will adopt a mantle of confidence, despite almost total ignorance.