--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a survey done a few years ago…" description: "\"There was a survey done a few years ago that affected me greatly. it was discovered that intelligent people either estimate their intelligence accurate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/harvey-pekar-4945_controversial_there-was-a-survey-done-a-few-years-ago_2496656.jpg" --- # There was a survey done a few years ago that affected me… ![“There was a survey done a few years ago that affected me greatly. it was discovered that intelligent people either estimate their intelligence accurately or slightly underestimate themselves, but stupid people overestimate their intelligence and by huge margins. (And these were things like…” quote by Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/harvey-pekar-4945_controversial_there-was-a-survey-done-a-few-years-ago_2496656.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/harvey-pekar-4945_controversial_there-was-a-survey-done-a-few-years-ago_2496656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/harvey-pekar-4945_controversial_there-was-a-survey-done-a-few-years-ago_2496656.jpg) > “There was a survey done a few years ago that affected me greatly. it was discovered that intelligent people either estimate their intelligence accurately or slightly underestimate themselves, but stupid people overestimate their intelligence and by huge margins. (And these were things like straight up math tests, not controversial IQ tests.)” [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to be accurate or modest about their abilities, while those lacking skill often overrate themselves dramatically. **In simple terms:** Smart people are realistic; the less capable overestimate. Key Takeaway Check your self‑assessment against objective measures. Themes self‑awareness confidence cognitive bias intelligence assessment Mood reflective analytical Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - job performance reviews - academic testing - skill training - team assignments Key Concepts Dunning‑Kruger effect metacognition self‑evaluation Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify your own competence? - What steps can reduce overconfidence in a team? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to poor decisions despite high self‑esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Controversial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-people/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stupid people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-people/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) ## Related quotes > [One training session won't change anything, but 10 will. Perseverance and straight up training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-rua/one-training-session-won-t-change-anything-but-10-will-perseverance/) [Mauricio Rua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-rua/) > [Self-acceptance begins in infancy, with the influence of your parents and siblings and other important people. Your own level of self-acceptance is determined largely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/self-acceptance-begins-in-infancy-with-the-influence-of-your-parents/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I remember the first time I saw you. Your hair was in two braids instead of one. And I remember when you... you sang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-remember-the-first-time-i-saw-you-your-hair-was-in-two-braids/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Hideki Irabu had a very good curveball. 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How could they put in such long hours, day after day? Part of the reason was to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/my-parents-work-ethic-amazed-me-how-could-they-put-in-such-long-hours/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I think you can find all the elements that you can find in great literature in mundane experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-think-you-can-find-all-the-elements-that-you-can-find-in-great/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [Life is about women, gigs, an' bein' creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/life-is-about-women-gigs-an-bein-creative/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [The film's success so far involves winning a couple of prizes at Cannes and Sundance, and getting some very nice reviews in newspapers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/the-film-s-success-so-far-involves-winning-a-couple-of-prizes-at/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I just continue to be kind of disappointed that people don't realize that and try and diversify the kind of work they are doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-just-continue-to-be-kind-of-disappointed-that-people-don-t-realize/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I don't think I made any really big mistakes; it's just that I chose something difficult to do. Looking back, I suppose I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-don-t-think-i-made-any-really-big-mistakes-it-s-just-that-i-chose/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) [Explore all 104 Harvey Pekar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) ## More Controversial quotes > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) M.I.A > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. 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But when art stirs debate for reasons besides its artistic integrity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/if-art-is-singular-expression-then-by-nature-the-best-art-is/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Here - at this final hour, Harlem has come to bid farewell to one of its brightest hopes - extinguished now, and gone from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/here-at-this-final-hour-harlem-has-come-to-bid-farewell-to-one-of-its/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [Those who misrepresent the normal experiences of life, who decry being controversial, who shun risk, are the enemies of the American way of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wriston/those-who-misrepresent-the-normal-experiences-of-life-who-decry-being/) [Henry Wriston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wriston/) > [“My personal analysis is that the media have made the AI-safety debate seem more controversial than it really is. After all, fear sells, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/my-personal-analysis-is-that-the-media-have-made-the-ai-safety-debate/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [I think if I'm controversial it's not because I set out to be. It's because I've never felt comfortable being part of someone else's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-think-if-i-m-controversial-it-s-not-because-i-set-out-to-be-it-s/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [I was very willing to take on controversial roles that people didn't really want to look at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-perez/i-was-very-willing-to-take-on-controversial-roles-that-people-didn-t/) [Rosie Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-perez/) > [I get called 'controversial' all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-get-called-controversial-all-the-time/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [ I curated this show \[Shanghai Biennale \], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-curated-this-show-shanghai-biennale-i-was-by-no-means-trying-to/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) S.F. Chandler > [I've been a very effective leader in the gay rights movement, though at times I've been controversial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-o-leary/i-ve-been-a-very-effective-leader-in-the-gay-rights-movement-though/) [Jean O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-o-leary/) > [“At the time, though, vaccination was controversial. Many were opposed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-wright/at-the-time-though-vaccination-was-controversial-many-were-opposed/) [Jennifer Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-wright/) [Browse all 486 Controversial quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a survey done a few years ago that affected me greatly. it was discovered that intelligent people either estimate their intelligence accurately or slightly underestimate themselves, but stupid people overestimate their intelligence and by huge margins. 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