为什么蠢人意识不到自己有多蠢？：英语精读讲义

Ever met someone who was so extremely dumb that they don't know how stupid they actually are? 語法

你有没有遇到过那种极其愚蠢，却不知道自己到底有多蠢的人？

Ever tried to explain a new concept to someone who clearly doesn't get it? 短語搭配

你有没有试过向一个明显听不懂的人解释一个新概念？

Well, you're not alone. 語氣意圖

好吧，你并不孤单。

Researchers have come up with a theory that explains why the less we know about something, 講解

研究人员提出了一个理论，解释了为什么我们对某件事了解得越少，

the more confident we are in our ability to master it.

我们就越有信心去掌握它。

So, there's a term for Dumb and Dumber?

所以，“阿呆与阿瓜”也有专属名词了？

Yes, and it is more common than you might think.

是的，而且这比你想象的更常见。

Join us today as we explore the avenues of dumbness

请今天就加入我们，一起探索愚蠢的种种表现，

in this episode of The Infographics Show,

在本期《The Infographics Show》中，

What is the Dunning-Kruger effect? 文化背景

什么是邓宁-克鲁格效应（Dunning-Kruger effect）？

Named after Cornell University researchers David Dunning and Justin Kruger, 短語搭配

邓宁-克鲁格效应以康奈尔大学研究人员David Dunning和Justin Kruger的名字命名，

the Dunning-Kruger effect is a condition in the field of psychology

它是心理学领域的一种现象，

where an intellectually challenged individual fails to adequately assess the extent of their own intelligence 短語搭配

指智力水平较低的个体无法准确评估自身的智力程度

or lack thereof. 短語搭配

或智力缺失。

Armed with an unhealthy bias of illusory superiority, 講解

由于带有虚幻优越感这种不健康的偏见，

these low-ability people cannot objectively evaluate their own mental shortcomings.

这些低能力人群无法客观地评估自身的思维缺陷。

In other words, they are too stupid to know how stupid they are. 講解

换句话说，他们太蠢了，以至于不知道自己有多蠢。

In a 1999 study,

在1999年的一项名为

Unskilled and Unaware of It,

《无能与无知》的研究中，

Dunning and Kruger studied the criminal case of MacArthur Wheeler,

Dunning和Kruger研究了MacArthur Wheeler的刑事案件，

a bank robber who disguised himself by covering his face with lemon juice. 語法

这是一名用柠檬汁涂满脸部来伪装自己的银行抢劫犯。

His rationale being that the chemical properties of lemon juice are used in invisible ink,

他的理由是，隐形墨水用到了柠檬汁的化学特性，

therefore should render him invisible to the bank security cameras. 語法

因此这应该能让他在银行监控摄像头前隐形。

An easy enough mistake, 語法

这是一个很容易犯的错误，

and one that cost him his freedom. 短語搭配

却让他失去了自由。

After he was easily caught by the cops,

在他轻易被警察抓住后，

the wannabe thief was shown the video surveillance footage of himself robbing the banks.

警方给这个自命不凡的小偷看了他抢劫银行的监控录像。

Genuinely surprised that his plan hadn't worked, 語法

Wheeler对自己的计划竟然没有奏效感到极其惊讶，

Wheeler was without the required mental capabilities to figure out the gap in his own reasoning. 短語動詞

他缺乏必要的心理能力来发现自己推理中的漏洞。

Other investigations followed,

随后又进行了其他调查，

and the Dunning-Kruger's 2003 paper,

邓宁和克鲁格在2003年的论文

Why do people fail to recognize their own incompetence,

《为什么人们无法认识到自己的无能》中，

observes the following:

观察到了以下现象：

Successful negotiation of everyday life would seem to require people to possess insight about deficiencies in their intellectual and social skills. 講解

成功应对日常生活的方方面面，似乎需要人们对自己在智力和社交技能上的缺陷有所认知。

However, people tend to be blissfully unaware of their incompetence. 短語搭配

然而，人们往往对自己毫无能力这一事实幸福地浑然不觉。

This lack of awareness arises because poor performers are doubly cursed. 習語

这种缺乏认知的现象之所以出现，是因为表现不佳的人受到了双重诅咒。

Their lack of skill deprives them not only of the ability to produce correct responses, 語法

他们技能的缺失不仅剥夺了他们做出正确反应的能力，

but also of the expertise necessary to surmise that they are not producing them.

也剥夺了他们推断自己未能做出正确反应所需的专业知识。

People base their perceptions of performance,

人们对表现的认知，

in part, on their preconceived notions about their skills. 短語搭配

部分基于他们对自己技能的先入为主的观念。

A good example of the Dunning-Kruger effect in action would be the early audition rounds of a talent show open to the fame-crazy public.

邓宁-克鲁格效应在实际中的一个好例子，就是向渴望出名的公众开放的选秀节目的早期海选。

British pop star wannabe Warren Wald became a mini celebrity 用詞

梦想成为英国流行歌手的Warren Wald成了一个小明星，

when he auditioned for the show Pop Idol in 2003 文化背景

当他在2003年参加《流行偶像》（Pop Idol）节目海选时，

with a rendition of the 1980s track Eye of the Tiger. 短語搭配

演唱了20世纪80年代的歌曲《Eye of the Tiger》。

He sang the song so badly that the public adored him. 語法

他唱得实在太难听了，以至于公众对他喜爱有加。

Warren, who led a simple life,

原本过着简单生活的Warren，

suddenly became a tabloid newspaper sensation.

突然成了小报轰动一时的人物。

He gave interviews on television and radio,

他接受了电视和广播的采访，

and the YouTube clip of him singing went viral. 習語

他唱歌的YouTube视频也在网上疯传。

Warren had no apparent idea just how badly he sang 語法

Warren显然不知道自己唱得有多难听，

until the nature of his fame came to light. 習語

直到他出名的真相大白。

When the penny dropped, 習語

当他恍然大悟时，

Warren realized he was being celebrated for his guts and determination 用詞

Warren意识到人们之所以追捧他，是因为他的勇气和决心，

rather than his promise as a vocalist. 用詞

而不是他作为歌手的潜力。

His singing career is currently on hold. 習語

他的歌唱事业目前处于停滞状态。

The public does have a tendency to champion underdogs, 用詞

公众确实有支持弱者的倾向，

and this tends to reinforce the Dunning-Kruger effect.

而这往往会强化邓宁-克鲁格效应。

Studies have shown that the Dunning-Kruger effect is not limited to the mentally challenged. 用詞

研究表明，邓宁-克鲁格效应并不局限于智力有缺陷的人。

High-performing individuals can also overestimate their abilities.

表现优异的人同样可能高估自己的能力。

In fact, most of us do it a lot of the time.

事实上，我们大多数人经常这样做。

The way to break out of the habit 短語動詞

想要打破这种习惯，

takes bravery and a level of humility that is uncommon in most people.

需要大多数人所不具备的勇气和一定程度的谦逊。

We have to ask for feedback from a trusted source

我们必须向值得信赖的人寻求反馈，

and be prepared for an honest response.

并做好接受诚实回答的准备。

So, if you feel you have a talent for singing,

所以，如果你觉得自己在唱歌方面有天赋，

perhaps test your theory on a few honest people before appearing on national television.

也许在登上全国电视荧幕前，先找几个诚实的人验证一下你的推论。

What we now call the Dunning-Kruger effect 語法

我们现在所说的邓宁-克鲁格效应，

is what the scientists used to call metacognition,

就是科学家们过去所说的元认知，

thinking about thinking.

即“对思考的思考”。

Perhaps the less we know about a topic and the simpler it appears,

也许我们对某个话题了解得越少，它看起来越简单，

the easier it is to ascribe some sort of understanding of it.

我们就越容易认为自己懂了。

We must be careful.

我们必须小心。

We could well be one of the many Dunning-Kruger sufferers 語法

我们很可能就是众多邓宁-克鲁格效应患者中的一员，

walking around blissfully ignorant of our ignorance. 表達脈絡

幸福地无视着自己的无知而四处游荡。

So, what's the dumbest thing you've watched somebody do?

那么，你见过的别人做过最蠢的事是什么？

Were they aware they were doing it,

他们意识到自己在做蠢事了吗？

or were they blissfully ignorant?

还是幸福地处于无知中？

Let us know in the comments.

请在评论区告诉我们。

Also, be sure to check out our other video called What are the signs that you are a psychopath?

另外，一定要去看看我们的另一部视频《精神病态者有哪些迹象？》。

Thanks for watching,

感谢观看，

and as always,

像往常一样，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

别忘了点赞、分享和订阅。

See you next time.

我们下次见。