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Does confidence breed success? Interesting report about university student psychology.  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
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Made in jp
[MOD]
Anti-piracy Officer






Somewhere in south-central England.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20756247

A short extract:

About nine million young people have filled out the American Freshman Survey, since it began in 1966.

It asks students to rate how they measure up to their peers in a number of basic skills areas - and over the past four decades, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of students who describe themselves as being "above average" for academic ability, drive to achieve, mathematical ability and self-confidence.

...

Twenge adds that while the Freshman Survey shows that students are increasingly likely to label themselves as gifted in writing ability, objective test scores indicate that actual writing ability has gone down since the 1960s.



The report goes on to query whether this self confidence is bred from the modern fashion for boosting "self esteem", and whether it is a good thing.

The data is from the US because they have collected it for some decades, which has not been done in other countries AFAIK.

I'm writing a load of fiction. My latest story starts here... This is the index of all the stories...

We're not very big on official rules. Rules lead to people looking for loopholes. What's here is about it. 
   
Made in de
Battlefield Tourist






Nuremberg

In my education course, the psychology segment was overwhelmingly concerned with the importance of self esteem. I believe it is harmful. I met many students while teaching in the UK who had wildly over-estimated their abilities in a variety of fields to the point of self delusion.

I would say it's not just educators but parents who buy into this crap now, and that my experience of dealing with parents is that they want to believe their kid is gifted at SOMETHING.

It doesn't surprise me to learn that people have been over estimating their abilities in countries where this is the prevailing dogma. I don't believe that confidence without foundation is good for a person. I believe what the psychological damage is really done by is poor self worth, and to make someone worth something you must teach them something useful.

Teachers are service providers these days though and parents feel they have a right to a service. Education is seen as something imparted to you by others than something you earn for yourself.

   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

This part made me LOL...

Another study by Twenge suggested there has been a 30% tilt towards narcissistic attitudes in US students since 1979.


I would have never guessed.

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Made in us
Dwarf High King with New Book of Grudges




United States

 Da Boss wrote:
I believe what the psychological damage is really done by is poor self worth, and to make someone worth something you must teach them something useful.


Additionally, the psychological damage that occurs when it is demonstrated to a person that they really aren't particularly good at anything can be quite extreme.

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. 
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut






UK

A lot of job applications are helped by heaping on the "good teamplayer" and "hard-worker" BS. I guess it can only be beneficial if you actually believe it.

Mandorallen turned back toward the insolently sneering baron. 'My Lord,' The great knight said distantly, 'I find thy face apelike and thy form misshapen. Thy beard, moreover, is an offence against decency, resembling more closely the scabrous fur which doth decorate the hinder portion of a mongrel dog than a proper adornment for a human face. Is it possibly that thy mother, seized by some wild lechery, did dally at some time past with a randy goat?' - Mimbrate Knight Protector Mandorallen.

Excerpt from "Seeress of Kell", Book Five of The Malloreon series by David Eddings.

My deviantART Profile - Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Madness

"You need not fear us, unless you are a dark heart, a vile one who preys on the innocent; I promise, you can’t hide forever in the empty darkness, for we will hunt you down like the animals you are, and pull you into the very bowels of hell." Iron - Within Temptation 
   
Made in us
Dwarf High King with New Book of Grudges




United States

 Avatar 720 wrote:
A lot of job applications are helped by heaping on the "good teamplayer" and "hard-worker" BS. I guess it can only be beneficial if you actually believe it.


In general, confidence is a useful tool for landing yourself a job. It enables you to freely state the various distortions of fact that are required in any given interview, and outright lie when presented with questions like "Why do you want to work here?" or "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. 
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

 dogma wrote:
I "Why do you want to work here?"


Oh, are you saying I shouldn't want to work here? I best be going then, sorry to waste your time.

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Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka






Sheffield, UK

That's the second worst Interview question after "Tell me about yourself".

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Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Spitsbergen

"I want to work here because I want to make money."
   
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5th God of Chaos! (Ho-hum)





Curb stomping in the Eye of Terror!

 rubiksnoob wrote:
"I want to work here because I want to make money."

"I want to work here because I want to make YOU money."

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Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

That would be a better answer.

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Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut






UK

"Why do you want to work here?"


I want to be the very best, like no-one ever was.

Mandorallen turned back toward the insolently sneering baron. 'My Lord,' The great knight said distantly, 'I find thy face apelike and thy form misshapen. Thy beard, moreover, is an offence against decency, resembling more closely the scabrous fur which doth decorate the hinder portion of a mongrel dog than a proper adornment for a human face. Is it possibly that thy mother, seized by some wild lechery, did dally at some time past with a randy goat?' - Mimbrate Knight Protector Mandorallen.

Excerpt from "Seeress of Kell", Book Five of The Malloreon series by David Eddings.

My deviantART Profile - Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Madness

"You need not fear us, unless you are a dark heart, a vile one who preys on the innocent; I promise, you can’t hide forever in the empty darkness, for we will hunt you down like the animals you are, and pull you into the very bowels of hell." Iron - Within Temptation 
   
Made in us
Old Sourpuss






Lakewood, Ohio

 Avatar 720 wrote:
"Why do you want to work here?"


I want to be the very best, like no-one ever was.


To flip burgers is my real test,

to serve them is my cause!

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Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

 Easy E wrote:
 dogma wrote:
I "Why do you want to work here?"


No, you tell me why I should work here?

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Hallowed Canoness





The Void

We need to start letting people fail

Caution: Video is topical, but contains strong language


This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/01/04 21:10:28


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Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka




Kamloops, BC

 George Spiggott wrote:
That's the second worst Interview question after "Tell me about yourself".


That one's easy, compared to "What would you say is your biggest weakness?" now that is hardcore mode.
   
Made in us
Dwarf High King with New Book of Grudges




United States

 Cheesecat wrote:

That one's easy, compared to "What would you say is your biggest weakness?" now that is hardcore mode.


"Answering stupid interview questions."

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka




Kamloops, BC


   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka






Arlington, Texas

 Cheesecat wrote:
 George Spiggott wrote:
That's the second worst Interview question after "Tell me about yourself".


That one's easy, compared to "What would you say is your biggest weakness?" now that is hardcore mode.


"I sometimes want to take on too much responsibility because of my desire to see results."

That one's easy as pie

Narcissism can work on a limited spectrum. It was the one thing that stopped me from breaking and got me from living off the street/in lots of random people's beds, tbh. It's a matter of knowing when to cash out, so to speak, before it begins harming you and screwing up your life. Also one has to acknowledge that all of your friends will be really shallow and you'll probably feel intensely lonely at times. If I were ridiculously rich and not engaged I'd go back to that mindset though, in a heartbeat.

Worship me. 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka




Kamloops, BC

 Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:
 Cheesecat wrote:
 George Spiggott wrote:
That's the second worst Interview question after "Tell me about yourself".


That one's easy, compared to "What would you say is your biggest weakness?" now that is hardcore mode.


"I sometimes want to take on too much responsibility because of my desire to see results."

That one's easy as pie


I like this one, although it does sound a bit cheesy.
   
Made in us
Androgynous Daemon Prince of Slaanesh





Norwalk, Connecticut

From personal experience, happiness breeds more success than confidence. Being over confident can get you to overestimate your abilities, but I'd you are happy with who you are, you'll comfortably build yourself up more (sometimes without realizing it). I'm not hugely confident (suffer anxiety), but I'm happy with all of my life except dating currently, and as such, I'm excelling at all parts of life (except dating. Lol).

Reality is a nice place to visit, but I'd hate to live there.

Manchu wrote:I'm a Catholic. We eat our God.


Due to work, I can usually only ship any sales or trades out on Saturday morning. Please trade/purchase with this in mind.  
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka






Arlington, Texas

If you pretended to be more confident about dating you'd be more successful at it. The truth has been spoken here.

Worship me. 
   
Made in us
Hangin' with Gork & Mork






A friend of mine was once asked, in all seriousness, "if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?". I never can recall what his answer was in the end, just that he said he came terribly close to laughing in the interviewers face. It must have been a satisfactory answer, as he got the job.

Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
 
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut






UK

 Ahtman wrote:
"if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?".


Oak, because I'm packing hardwood right now.

Mandorallen turned back toward the insolently sneering baron. 'My Lord,' The great knight said distantly, 'I find thy face apelike and thy form misshapen. Thy beard, moreover, is an offence against decency, resembling more closely the scabrous fur which doth decorate the hinder portion of a mongrel dog than a proper adornment for a human face. Is it possibly that thy mother, seized by some wild lechery, did dally at some time past with a randy goat?' - Mimbrate Knight Protector Mandorallen.

Excerpt from "Seeress of Kell", Book Five of The Malloreon series by David Eddings.

My deviantART Profile - Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Madness

"You need not fear us, unless you are a dark heart, a vile one who preys on the innocent; I promise, you can’t hide forever in the empty darkness, for we will hunt you down like the animals you are, and pull you into the very bowels of hell." Iron - Within Temptation 
   
Made in us
5th God of Chaos! (Yea'rly!)




The Great State of Texas

Trees are sinful.

-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
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Made in us
5th God of Chaos! (Ho-hum)





Curb stomping in the Eye of Terror!

 Ahtman wrote:
A friend of mine was once asked, in all seriousness, "if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?". I never can recall what his answer was in the end, just that he said he came terribly close to laughing in the interviewers face. It must have been a satisfactory answer, as he got the job.

Willow Tree.

Live Ork, Be Ork. or D'Ork!


 
   
Made in us
Calculating Commissar




pontiac, michigan; usa

Meh i think we know confidence is a crock of sh*t. Just because somebody's confident doesn't mean they are good or nice or smart or anything but a smug *ss. Funny thing is i keep hearing this about women loving confidence. It makes me sick. Maybe that's why many women keep dating d**ches that are full of crap, lie all the time and mistreat them.

Also no i'm not talking about 'swooping hawks' or 'storm shields' .




See confidence means nothing if you can't back it up hahaha.

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2013/01/07 21:42:12


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Made in us
Dwarf High King with New Book of Grudges




United States

And being able to do a thing means nothing if you cannot make someone trust in your ability to do so.

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. 
   
Made in us
Xenohunter with First Contact




Loserville - population: 1

 Cheesecat wrote:
 George Spiggott wrote:
That's the second worst Interview question after "Tell me about yourself".


That one's easy, compared to "What would you say is your biggest weakness?" now that is hardcore mode.


Professor X: "Stairs."
   
 
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