From doctors to politicians to your boss, people often ask us to put our confidence in them. We’re often urged to build more confidence in ourselves. But one of the most consistent findings in psychology is that there is very little overlap between confidence and competence; how good people think they are, and how good they really are. In this edition of the Why Factor, Michael Blastland asks: why do admire confidence?

Contributors

Ed O’Brien - Associate Professor of Behaviour Science, University of Chicago Booth School of BusinessMaria Konnikova, Psychologist and Author: The Confidence GameDr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Psychologist and Author: Confidence, The Surprising Truth About How Much You Need and How To Get It.Glen Fukushima -Senior Fellow, Center For American Progress Dr Anne McGuinness – University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Photo Credit: Multiple exposure of businesswoman arms crossed / Getty Images

Film Credit: The Great Imposter Trailer 1960 / Universal Studios Home Entertainment / Director Robert Mulligan