Posted on 01/27/2014 5:42:31 PM PST by blueunicorn6
There have been several articles recently here at Free Republic concerning the "arrogance" of Democrats. We have a somewhat fuzzy understanding of the authors meaning when they use the word "arrogance", but I think it is too broad of a term. It is also a word that some people feel is too harsh.
I think that the Democrats suffer from Competency Transfer Bias. I searched for this phrase, Competency Transfer Bias, and did not find it in use. I therefore claim the origination of this phrase. As the originator, I claim the right of defining it.
Competency Transfer Bias is the tendency of some people to believe that competency or expertise in one area necessarily means competency or expertise in other, or all, areas. An example of Competency Transfer Bias would be assuming that someone who has a 90% success rate in shooting free-throws in basketball will also be a good singer.
Some will argue that this is merely a rehash of Thorndike's "Halo Effect". Without writing a Doctoral Dissertation on Free Republic, I see Competency Transfer Bias as being a refining, a specific narrowing-down of Thorndike's theory. Competency Transfer Bias doesn't place a halo around someone assuming that they are always a "good" person. It is merely the assumption that competency in one area necessarily begets competency in another area. Very few Democrats felt that Bill Clinton wore a halo, but many Democrats assumed that his competency in school ensured that he would be competent in Presidential functions.
I believe that we find the same Competency Transfer Bias with Barack Obama. He graduated from Harvard Law School, so many people felt this competency transferred to the functions of being President. Obama is good at giving speeches. Many people assumed that this would lead to him being competent in foreign affairs or financial policy. It doesn't necessarily transfer.
Competency Transfer Bias is important to understand because it is a heuristic. It is a means for people to make a quick decision such as choosing who to vote for. As such, it is open to manipulation.
It is too easy to just label Obama and the Democrats as "arrogant". That allows us to label them and then stop thinking about them. If we are to defeat the Democrats, we must understand them. I think that properly defining a behavior is a big step in understanding and manipulating the behavior. Competency Transfer Bias is a step towards understanding why Democrats vote the way they do.
"Understand yourself and understand your opponents and you will not be defeated in one hundred battles."
I find the level of discussion to be quite high here on Free Republic and I hope this stimulates some serious thought and discussion.
I think you are on to something.
Another thing that liberals are good at is assuming that because they have a laudable goal in mind - say, reducing poverty or whatever - then whatever action they propose or implement to further this noble intent is similarly noble and beyond criticism, even if what they do does not work, or worse, is counter productive.
This confusing of intent and action, and the imputation of nobility of purpose onto whatever incompetent policy decisions result, combined with your “competency transfer bias” or more correctly, competency transfer fallacy, makes for a deadly combination because failure is always protected and enshrined. After all, denial has to be a component in any pathology that eschews self-correction.
I saw a rerun of a “Law And Oder” episode today quite by accident. I channel-surf and the TV was on that channel when visitors showed up.
I think that Obemba suffers from “cultural insanity”.
However, your theory deserves merit, too. ;-)
I thought about calling it a fallacy. Maybe your term is better.
I also removed a paragraph about psychopathology. Some people here think that’s Obama’s problem. I don’t think so. I re-looked the symptoms and he has some of them, but others are glaringly absent.
CTB (hey, it’s easier than writing it out) also explains why people believe celebrities when they spout off about political issues, why weak-brained leftidiots bought Al Gore’s AGW bilge, etc., ad nauseyum.
IOW, I think you are onto something...
I see that you are a good writer,
(Ergo. . .)
Can you help me troubleshooting the wiring problem with my HD RoadKing?
(Good Points!!)
I hadn’t thought about Gore, but he is a good example.
Nope. The last time I worked on motorcycle wiring, the light would come on when I honked the horn. And I am jealous of you and your motorcycle.
There is no known documentation that Barry Soetoro or B. Hussein Obama graduated from any University or College in the United States of America.
-PJ
You should write a book on this. Make a million.
Thanks for the compliment. I’ve got a handle on it (the wiring...it was a voltage regulator problem).
Your writing style is right on. Looking forward to your next missive.
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