Episode 31 - McArthur Wheeler & Self Perception

Self Perception

Apr 17

We can never really know how others see us. But with some awareness and the right tools, we can get pretty darn close. Today’s episode; Self Perception!

To have total self-perception we would literally have to see ourselves, and experience ourselves, through other people’s brains. Unfortunately that’s impossible until we’re living in a Sci-Fi future. In the meantime, Joe and Todd will discuss techniques to become more self-perceptive. We’ll look into studies that have arisen over the years about how people perceive themselves. And we’ll share stories of inept criminals, self-deceiving romantics, and mirrors that can reveal your true self (or at least your un-reversed self…)

We’ll also talk about the bank heist that inspired the Dunning Kruger Effect. A heist involving a very confused, very un-perceptive man, who covered his face in lemon juice and squinted his way through a series of major felonies.

History Links:

http://awesci.com/the-astonishingly-funny-story-of-mr-mcarthur-wheeler/

https://medium.com/@littlebrown/i-wore-the-juice-the-dunning-kruger-effect-f8ac3299eb1

https://www.propublica.org/article/dr-death-christopher-duntsch-a-surgeon-so-bad-it-was-criminal

http://psychwatch.blogspot.com/2007/09/richard-feynman-gets-psychiatric-exam.html

Science Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y50i1bI2uN4

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200505/metaperceptions-how-do-you-see-yourself

https://qz.com/992127/studies-find-high-achievers-underestimate-their-talents-while-underachievers-overestimate-theirs/

https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-self-awareness-really-is-and-how-to-cultivate-it

https://hbr.org/2018/10/working-with-people-who-arent-self-aware

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/03/you-dont-know-yourself-as-well-as-you-think-you-do/554612/