[quetzthecoatl]

Is it though? Everyone overestimating their ability a bit isn't DK effect. It's when people with less knowledge and ability vastly over estimate their ability (because they don't know how little they know - while others do), and the opposite for those who are truly more able and knowledgeable (again because they understand how vast the topic is and though they know more and are capable more than the average person, they also understand how little they truly know compared to what they don't know)

[what-the-grump]

I'll give it a stab.

There are those that don't know, and don't know that they don't know. They evaluate themselves the highest.

There are those that know, and don't know that they don't know. They evaluate themselves a bit better than those before.

There are those that know, and know that they don't know. They evaluate themselves worst than those before them. This is the d-k valley, imposter syndrome, confidence issues.

There are those that know, and know that they know. They are much better at evaluating themselves than those before them. They have experience to know what they know, and what they dont know, and they still continue to underrate themselves vs the first bunch, but they are more accurate and closer to the truth.

Anyway thats how I always understood d-k.