Last updated
Last updated
According to the definition provided on Wikipedia, the illusion of asymmetric insight is a cognitive bias whereby people perceive their knowledge of others to surpass other people's knowledge of them. This bias "has been traced to people's tendency to view their own spontaneous or off-the-cuff responses to others' questions as relatively unrevealing even though they view others' similar responses as meaningful.
A study finds that people seem to believe that they know themselves better than their peers know themselves and that their social group knows and understands other social groups better than other social groups know them. For example: Person A knows Person A better than Person B knows Person B or Person A. This bias may be sustained by a few cognitive beliefs, including:
The personal conviction that observed behaviors are more revealing of other people than of the self, while private thoughts and feelings are more revealing of the self.
The more an individual perceives negative traits ascribed to someone else, the more doubt individuals express about this person's self-knowledge. But, this doubt does not exist for our own self-knowledge. (For example: if Person A believes Person B has some great character flaw, Person A will distrust Person B's self-knowledge, while sustaining that they do not hold that same flaw in self-knowledge.)
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The illusion of asymmetric insight refers to a cognitive bias wherein individuals perceive that they understand others better than others understand them, creating a perceived imbalance in insight. This phenomenon can lead people to believe that they have a deeper understanding of the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of others, while simultaneously feeling that others lack the same level of understanding about them. The illusion of asymmetric insight can contribute to misunderstandings and interpersonal conflicts, as individuals may overestimate their insight into others' perspectives while underestimating the depth of understanding others have about them.
User Story: Maria's Cultural Assumption
Maria, a seasoned traveler, was excited about her upcoming business trip to Japan. Having visited multiple countries before, she felt she had developed a keen understanding of various cultures. As she landed in Tokyo, she quickly noticed subtle nuances in Japanese customs, language, and social etiquette.
Over the course of her trip, Maria engaged with local colleagues and clients. Confident in her ability to grasp cultural intricacies, she assumed she could effortlessly navigate social interactions. She spoke in a manner she believed would resonate with her Japanese counterparts and interpreted their behaviors through her own cultural lens.
One evening, after a business dinner, Maria was surprised to find her Japanese colleagues expressing mild discomfort. They appreciated her efforts but felt that Maria's assumptions about their culture were not entirely accurate. They wished she had asked more questions and allowed them to share their perspectives, rather than making assumptions based on her previous travel experiences.
In this scenario, Maria experienced the illusion of asymmetric insight. While she thought she understood the Japanese culture well, her colleagues felt she lacked a true understanding of their unique context. The experience prompted Maria to reflect on the importance of actively seeking others' perspectives and avoiding assumptions based solely on her own cultural insights.
Which agent believes to have a better insight than the other?
What is the quality of the self-insight and insight of others for the BiasedAgent?
What is the assumed self-insight and insight of others of the non-biased agent?
Creating an ontology for the illusion of asymmetric insight bias involves defining classes that represent different aspects of the concept and properties that describe relationships between these classes. Here's a simplified example:
Classes:
Properties:
This ontology provides a basic structure to capture the essential elements of the illusion of asymmetric insight bias, including the individuals involved, their perceived insights, the bias itself, the context in which it occurs, and the relationships between these components. Depending on the specific use case and requirements, additional classes and properties could be added for a more comprehensive ontology.