The effect Better-Stan-Average It is that way of thinking that we believe it better than the others. For example, if they asked us if we are better to drive compared to the average, we would probably answer for yes. Yet, if we stop to reflect, there is something that does not come back: if we all believe we lead better than others, someone is clearly wrong. The Better-Stan-Average Effect (in Italian “best of the average” effect) it is also said illusion of superiority and is in all respects a cognitive biasthat is, a systematic error in our way of reasoning, which in this case leads us to think we are better than the average in many different areas.
The effects of this bias on drivers have been systematically studied since the 1980s. In the United States, for example, over 90% of motorists consider driving better than average. In Norway the percentage drops, but still remains high, around 69%. Similar studies have also been conducted in Germany, Poland, France and the United Kingdom, with coherent results: the Better-Than-Average Effect is presented everywhere, even if with different intensity depending on the cultural context.
Let’s see what this effect is, what are the main studies that connect it to driving, and what consequences can have.
What is the Better-Stan-Average Effect: the features
The Better-Than-Average Effect is a cognitive bias, that is, a systematic distortion of our way of thinking. This bias takes us to overestimated our skills Compared to those of others, especially when the evaluation criteria are subjective or difficult to measure.
For example, a 1972 study showed that this effect is particularly strong when we have to evaluate characteristics such as beauty, intelligence or personal motivation. When instead the criteria are objective and measurable – Like how many kilos you can lift or in how many seconds run 100 meters – the bias tends to disappear.
The Better-Stan-Average Effect among drivers
The most famous study on this phenomenon applied to the guide dates back to 1981 They asked to place themselves on two stairs: one for the skill (from less to more skilled) and one for prudence (from less to more prudent). It was that most of the participants considered themselves better and more cautious than the other study participants. In particular:
- 88% of the US and 77% of Swedes thought they were more prudent than others;
- 93% of the US and 69% of Swedes thought they were more skilled than the other participants.
Forty years later, in 2023, the study was replicated with a much wider champion: 1200 US motorists, equally divided between men and women. Also this time, most people overestimated their skills: over 90% of the participants said they were more prudent and about 80% more skilled than other drivers.
It would be natural to ask if this effect depends only on the fact that they are US, and therefore culturally accustomed to showing themselves safe. This type of studies, however, was also replicated in Germany, Poland, France and the United Kingdom and in each of these states it was seen that this effect presented itself, even if with different intensity, highly dependent on the culture of the participants.
The consequences of the “best of the average” effect
Clearly, it is impossible for 80% of people to be better and more prudent than the average to drive. But, if so many people overestimate their driving skills, the consequences can be series: those who feel superior tend to take more risks and have less awareness of their mistakes.
In the studio of the 80s, Svenson blames the failure of road safety campaigns at the Better-Thaan-Average Effect. Why should we pay attention to the recommendations aimed at all drivers if we feel more skilled and more cautious than the average?
This effect, however, is not limited to driving. In the seventies several studies identified him in areas such as ethics, leadership, a sense of humor and professional skills. In a 1977 study on business management, for example, both management students both company managers overrated their skills, with the result of elaborating too optimistic and risky strategies and plans.
The Better-Stan-Average Effect also touches our lives. To try to understand how much this Bias influenced us too, a simple exercise is enough: we list the aspects of our life that we consider important and ask ourselves, for each one, if we consider ourselves above the average. If the answer is almost always “yes”, then we also fell in the trap of the Better-Than-Average Effect.
