BiasSelf & metacognition · Self-Assessment Bias · Entry 199
Placement Bias – you either overrate or underrate yourself
Do you see yourself as better than others at things you’re good at, and worse than others at things you struggle with? That’s Placement Bias – people remember themselves as more successful in what they feel confident about, and weaker in what they find difficult.
Where it can show up
- Work & career – if you’re confident in your skills, you’ll recall successes better than failures. If you’re insecure, you’ll exaggerate mistakes.
- Studying & exams – easy subjects feel like past successes, while hard ones seem full of failures.
- Social skills – confident people remember being more charismatic than they were, while shy individuals think they were less sociable than reality.
💡 How to balance perception?
- Evaluate yourself objectively – focus on actual outcomes, not just feelings.
- Check the facts – keep a record of achievements and failures to see reality clearly.
- Don’t believe every thought – your brain distorts memories to fit your self-image.