Explain Quote by Thomas Gilovich
““People are extraordinarily good at ad hoc explanation. According to past research, if people are erroneously led to believe that they are either above or below average at some task, they can explain either their superior or inferior performance with little difficulty.””
About This Quote
Source Journal Article: Judgment and Decision Making, 2002
People easily create explanations to justify perceived superiority or inferiority when misled about their relative performance.
In simple terms: People rationalize status when misinformed about their rank.
Key Takeaway
Recognize bias in self‑assessment.
Themes
cognition
self‑perception
bias
explanations
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
insightful
When to use this quote
- Performance reviews
- education grading
- sports coaching
- marketing claims
- personal goal setting
Key Concepts
Social comparison theory
self‑serving bias
motivated reasoning
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify your self‑assessment?
- What evidence challenges your perceived rank?
A Different Perspective
Bias may persist despite objective feedback, limiting corrective learning.
