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Dunning Kruger Effect as it relates to firearms and firearm training |
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By Tom F, MDFI staff instructor From Wikipedia:
Quote:
The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which "people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it".[1] The unskilled therefore suffer from illusory superiority, rating their own ability as above average, much higher than in actuality; by contrast the highly skilled underrate their abilities, suffering from illusory inferiority. This leads to a perverse result where less competent people will rate their own ability higher than more competent people. It also explains why actual competence may weaken self-confidence because competent individuals falsely assume that others have an equivalent understanding. "Thus, the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others."
This phenomena is easily applied to firearm training, gear selection, general advice, etc.
Some examples I regularly see:
'My CPL class was great. Instructors were knowledgeable and we learned a lot.'
Said student has only had exposure to a single CPL class. CPL training is typically the very first step in firearm training and therefore the only exposure to this realm. But since they have nothing to compare their experience to, they are in a poor position to rate how good their class was, how relevant the information was, and how good of a teacher the instructor was.
'The trainer from XYZ school taught me this technique. It is the best way to solve this problem.'
I take issue when anybody says anything is THE way. If said student is questioned on the technique, and their reasoning is "Well that's what so-and-so taught me," be very suspect of their ability discuss technique reasoning. Students who have been taught multiple approaches will be able to articulate WHY they like one technique over another. When they are comparing something to something, instead of something to nothing, their word should be listened to and considered, as it is a word of experience, not a regurgitation of what someone else told them.
'This piece of ABC gear is great! (Be it belts, holsters, guns, sights, optics, etc)
The very next question should be: "What else have you used to compare it to?"
If their experience base with that type of product is limited (or only goes as far as the specific item they are recommending), be suspect of their enthusiasm.
The four levels of Competence
- Incompetent Incompetence
"You don't know what you don't know."
People at this level have simply not had their eyes opened to all the options out there, and have a false sense of knowledge on a specific subject because they don't know what else is out there.
As it relates to firearms, these are typically your non-CPL holders, or someone just out of their CPL class (depending on how good their CPL class really was...) Or someone who has been taught techniques as THE way to do something, and have not been exposed to other, potentially more efficient, methods to attack the same problem.
- Competent Incompetence
"You know how much you don't know."
The person here has been exposed to something that has broadened their view of the topic, and they now realize how much more is out there that they don't know yet.
As it relates to firearms, these are typically people in their first training course, or students coming out of a good CPL class. They are typically hungry for more knowledge and eager to learn the other things they now understand they don't know.
- Competent Competence
"You know what you know."
This person knows their objective, has been taught a way to accomplish said objective, and with focus and concentration can complete said task.
As it relates to firearms, this person understands the core fundamentals of their task, and can complete their task, though maybe not perfectly, and maybe not every time.
- Incompetent Competence
"You don't have to think about what you know."
This person is so well practiced at their task, that it doesn't require thought to complete. It is a standard reaction through practice, or muscle memory. They are much more effective because the brain power used to think about the basic tasks can be allotted to do something else, such as scanning an area, look for other threats, or do a better job at processing information coming at them quickly and make faster and better decisions. They don't have to think about their draw stroke, their sight picture, or their trigger press, they can focus on their threat, the people around them, to shoot or not to shoot, etc.
Cliffnotes-
Always consider the source.
Never stop learning.
Thoughts? |
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Name: Lance Classes taken from Steve: Carbine 1 & 2 (Carbine 1 was a private class given to our sniper team) Background: SGT, US Army, 4 years. 16 years LE experience. NRA LE Instructor/Rangemaster. Tactical Rifle Instructor (semi & select-fire), Advanced Sniper Instructor. Instinctive Point Shooting Instructor. Armorer: Glock & Colt M-16/AR-15. Classes taken: Too numerous to list. Highlights: OpTac Advanced Sniper Instructor, FBI Basic and Advanced Observer/Sniper Schools, HSS Mantracking, HSS Advanced Sniper, Mike Rayburn's Instinctive Point Shooting Instructor Class. Steve's classes, of course. Notes: Steve was by far the most dynamic instructor I've had. He keeps the classes moving and motivated with little down-time. He takes students well outside of their comfort zones, but maintains safety at all times. Steve considers himself a student and is always adding additional training to his own bag of tricks. I look forward to taking more classes in the future. |
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Train locally with nationally recognized instructors like Steve Fisher. In the July 2008 issue of SWAT magazine article Shooting on the Move, Pat Rogers said, "Steve Fisher - a large human - has the grace of a wounded hippopotamus, but shoots faster and with greater accuracy than 99% of the people the author has ever met."  October 2008 SWAT  August 2009 SWAT |
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My name is Rick and I met Steve over 2 yrs ago. Steve is professional and knows how to talk & demonstrate to his class. What I liked about Steve are several things about safety. 1. Explains that these are big girl and boy rules and everyone must pay attention
to detail. Any variance and you'll be asked to leave.
2. He thinks outside the box. Not afraid to demonstrate why more than this
technique will work saying "this is one way of doing it".
3. Quick to observe where all in his class are at in their skill sets. This allows
everyone in the class to move forward at a comfortable pace.
4. I’ve taken other classes with Steve also as a student and found him to be
astute, professional, and responsible with the instructor.
5. Steve is not afraid to take the student outside & expand their comfort
zone. This is everything when taking a firearm class to build character and
confidence.
6. Steve teaches the student how to fight with the firearm and not just plink at
the targets. This is something my 19yr old daughter found out when she took his
pistol I class. My background: - owner operator of manufacturing business in Michigan
- started training with, taking all of John Farnam's DTI classes and am one of his assoc. instructors
- taken other courses from Chris and Mark Carraci, Navy SEALs (ret.)
- military instructors (ret.) Dave Harrington (Super Dave)
- E.A.G. tactical Pat Rogers
- all of Steve's classes Shooting a firearm is dangerous by or thru itself and I’m comfortable taking a course with Steve as the instructor. RB |
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