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  • Current Opinion in Psychology

The Errors of Experts: When Expertise Hinders Effective Provision and Seeking of Advice and Feedback

By: Ting Zhang, Kelly Harrington and Elad Sherf
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Abstract

To be effective, experts need to simultaneously develop others (i.e. provide advice and feedback to novices) and advance their own learning (i.e. seek and incorporate advice and feedback from others). However, expertise, and the state of efficacy associated with it, can inhibit experts from engaging in these activities or doing so effectively. We discuss when and why cognitive entrenchment and reduced perspective taking lead experts to hold misperceptions about others. We then explain how these misperceptions lead experts to provide less helpful advice and feedback to novices and to be less likely to seek and take input from others. We offer insights to overcome these barriers, enhancing experts’ ability to provide and propensity to seek advice and feedback.

Keywords

Expertise; Self-efficacy; Feedback; Perspective Taking; Cognitive Entrenchment; Interpersonal Communication

Citation

Zhang, Ting, Kelly Harrington, and Elad Sherf. "The Errors of Experts: When Expertise Hinders Effective Provision and Seeking of Advice and Feedback." Current Opinion in Psychology 43 (February 2022): 91–95.
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About The Author

Ting Zhang

Organizational Behavior
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • Developmental Relationships By: Ting Zhang and Leslie A. Perlow
  • What Goes Down When Advice Goes Up: Younger Advisers Underestimate Their Impact By: Ting Zhang and Michael S. North
  • Pettiness in Social Exchange By: Tami Kim, Ting Zhang and Michael I. Norton
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