What is the tendency to overestimate personal ability known as?

The tendency to overestimate personal ability is referred to as overconfidence. This cognitive bias can lead individuals to believe they are more competent or skilled than they actually are. Overconfidence can manifest in various contexts, such as decision-making, skills assessment, or predictions about future outcomes.

Overconfidence is a well-documented phenomenon in psychology and is different from related concepts. For instance, self-efficacy refers specifically to an individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. While self-efficacy can contribute to overall confidence, it doesn't necessarily imply an overestimation of one's abilities in a broad sense.

Cognitive dissonance, on the other hand, involves the mental discomfort experienced when holding two contradictory beliefs or values, often leading individuals to change their attitudes or beliefs to alleviate that discomfort, rather than overestimating their abilities.

Illusory superiority is a related term that describes the cognitive bias where individuals rate their own abilities, qualities, or traits as superior to those of others. While it is closely associated with overconfidence, the more general term for the tendency to overrate one's own ability without necessarily comparing it to others is overconfidence. Both terms can overlap, but overconfidence is the broader concept capturing the essence