Studying stupid behavior: A systematic study of what is considered “stupid” across cultures.Three major types emerge:
- Confident ignorance (most stupid rated), i.e. confidence disproportionate to competence, especially overestimate oneself; it can be promoted by intoxication or excessive social support
- Lack of self control, doing something because of losing the ability to do otherwise
- Absentmindedness, lack of awareness about what one is doing; promoted by habitual behavior or multi-tasking (-thinking).
“If you don’t want to do something stupid, you probably don’t want to have higher expectations of your abilities than you should,” the study author, Balazs Aczel, said. “The worst thing someone can do is act confidently, and seriously, and still not act rationally. That’s as stupid as it gets.” Anosognosia is an issue with the first type, but modesty of course might well take care of it. One the few endorsements against self-confidence I’ve ever seen!